THE GULF STREAM. 29 



x\tlantic — sloughing off its drift matter always to the right, is 

 shown not only by the Sargasso and its weeds, but it is indicated 

 also, by our "bottle papers," by the facts developed in Plate YI., 

 and by other sources of information. If, therefore, this be so, why 

 give the endless current a higher level in one part of its course than 

 another ? 



89. Nay, more; at the very season of the year when the Gulf 

 A bifurcation. Stream is rushing in greatest volume through the 



Straits of Florida, and hastening to the north with the greatest ra- 

 pidity, there is a cold stream from Baffin's Bay, Labrador, and the 

 coasts of the north, running to the south with equal velocity. 

 Where is the trade-wind that gives the higher level to Baffin's 

 Bay, or that even presses upon, or assists to put this current in 

 motion ? The agency of winds in producing currents in the deep 

 sea must be very partial. These two currents meet off the Grand 

 Banks, where the latter is divided. One part of it underrmis the 

 Gulf Stream, as is shovm by the icebergs which are carried in a 

 direction tending across its course. The probability is, that this 

 "fork" flows on tovfard the south, and runs into the Caribbean 

 Sea, for the temperatiu'e of the water at a little depth there has 

 been found far belov/ the mean temperature of the earth's crust, 

 and quite as cold as at a corresponding depth off" the Arctic shores 

 of Spitzbergen. 



90. More water cannot run from the equator or the pole than 

 Winds exercise but to it. If Avo make the trade-winds to cause the 



little influence upon r\ ir. ai. i j_ j_ i n • i , 



constant currents, (juli btrcam, we ougiit to have some other wmd to 

 produce the Polar flow ; but these currents, for the most part, 

 and for great distances, are submarine, and therefore beyond the 

 influence of winds. Hence it should appear that winds have little 

 to do mth the general system of aqueous cuTulation in the ocean. 

 The other " fork " runs between our shores and the Gnilf Stream 

 to the south, as already described. As far as it has been traced, 

 it v>"arrants the belief that it, too, runs uv to seek the so-called 

 higher level of the Mexican Gulf. 



91. The power necessary to overcome the resistance opposed 

 Effects of diurnal to such a bodv of Water as that of the Gulf Stream, 



rotation upon the . i ji t -i • ,^ , i 



Gulf siream. rmmmg several thousand miles without any renewal 



of impulse from the forces of gravitation or any other known cause, 

 is truly surprising. It so happens that we have an argument for 

 determining, with considerable accuracy, the resistance which the 

 w^aters of this stream meet with hi their motion towards the east. 



