1 92 THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE SEA. 



as the parallel of 87° soutli latitude. This is the nearest approach 

 of icebergs to the equator. These currents which run out from 

 the intertropical basin of that immense sea — Indian Ocean — con- 

 vey along immense volumes of water containing vast quantities 

 of salt, and we know that sea water enough to convey back equal 

 quantities of salt, and salt to keep up supplies for the outgoing 

 currents, must flow into the intertropical regions of the same sea; 

 therefore, if observations were silent upon the subject, reason 

 would teach us to look for currents here that keep in motion im- 

 mense volumes of water. 



895. The Cukrents of the Pacific. — The contrast has been 

 The currents of the ^rawu (§ 891) bctwccn the Japan or ''Black 

 Pacific-Drift-wood. Stream" of the North Pacific, and the Gulf Stream 

 of the North Atlantic. The course of the former has never been 

 satisfactorily traced out. There is (Plate IX.), along the coast of 

 California and Mexico, a southwardly movement of waters, as 

 there is along the west coast of Africa toward the Cape de Yerd 

 Islands. In the open space west of this southwardly set along 

 the African coast there is the famous Sargasso Sea (Plate IX.), 

 which is the general receptacle of the drift-wood and sea- weed of 

 the Atlantic. So, in like manner, to the west from California of 

 this other southwardly set, lies the pool into which the drift-wood 

 and sea-weed of the North Pacific are generally gathered, but in 

 small quantities. I have received from Johnston's Islands (17° N., 

 169° 80' W), which are near the edge of this pool, specimens of 

 drift-wood from the Columbia, and also of the red cedar of Cali- 

 fornia. The immense trees from Oregon and California that have 

 been cast up on these guano islands were probably drifted down 

 with the cool California current into the northeast trades, and by 

 them wafted along to the west, thus showing that the currents 

 of the North Pacific flow in a sort of circle, on the outer edge of 

 which lie the Japanese and Aleutian Islands, and the northwest 

 coast of America. 



896. The natives of the Aleutian Islands, where no trees grow. 

 The Black Current of dcpcud upou the drift- wood cast ashorc there for 



the Pacific, like the t-, t • •, i • i • p i • 



Gulf Stream, saiter all thc tmibcr uscd lu the coustructiou of their 

 waters. boats, fishiug-tacklc, and household gear. Among 



this timber, the camphor-tree, and other woods of China and J^a- 

 pan, are said to be often recognized. In this fact we have addi- 



