40 PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE SEA, AND ITS METEOROLOGY. 



the Banks of Newfoundland, wliere its course becomes nearly 

 due east. These banks, it has been thought, deflect it from its 

 proper course, and cause it to take this turn. Examination will 

 prove, I think, that they are an efiect, certainly not the cause. 

 It is here that the frigid current aheady spoken of (§ 85), and 

 its icebergs from the north, are met and melted by the warm 

 waters of the Gulf. Of course the loads of earth, stones, and gravel 

 brought dowTi upon these bergs are here deposited. Captain 

 Scoresby, far away in the north, coimted at one time five hundred 

 icebergs setting out fr'om the same vicinity upon this cold current 

 for the south. Many of them, loaded mth earth, have been seen 

 aground on the Banks. This process of transferring deposits from 

 the north for these shoals, and of snowing down upon them the 

 infusoria and the corpses of "living creatm-es " that are brought 

 forth so ■ abundantly in the warm waters of the Grulf Stream, and 

 delivered in myriads for burial where the conflict between it and 

 the great Polar cm-rent (§ 89) takes place, is everlastingly going 

 on. These agencies, with time, seem altogether adequate to the 

 formation of extensive bars or banks. 



117. The deep-sea soundings that have been made by vessels of 

 Deep water near, the English and American navies (Plate XI.) tend 

 to confirm this view as to the formation of these Banks. The 

 greatest contrast in the bottom of the Atlantic is just to the south 

 of these Banks. Nowhere in the open sea has the water been found 

 to deepen so suddenly as here. Coming from the north, the 

 bottom of the sea is shelving ; but suddenly, after passing these 

 Banks, it dips do^^ii by a precipitous descent to unknown depths — 

 thus indicating that the debris which forms the Grand Banks comes 

 fr'om the north. 



118. From the Straits of Bemini the course of the Gulf Stream 

 The Gulf stream de- (Plate YI.) doscribes (as far as it can be traced over 

 Sepath'of'atrTc- ^^ward the British Islands which are in the midst of 

 tory. its waters) the arc of a gi'eat circle nearly. Such a 

 course as the Gulf Stream takes is very nearly the course that a 

 cannon-ball, could it be shot fr'om these straits to those islands, 

 would foUow. 



119. If it were possible to see Ireland from Bemini, and to get 

 Its path from Be- a canuou that would reach that far, the person stand- 

 mini to Ireland. jj^g qj^ Beuiini and taking aim, intending to shoot at 

 Ireland as a target, would, if the earth were at rest, sight direct, 

 and make no allowance for difierence of motion between marksman 



