164 THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE SEA. 



as tlie parallel of 37° soutli latitude. Tliis is tlie nearest approach 

 of icebergs to the equator. 



450. These currents which run out from the inter-tropical basin 

 of that immense sea — Indian Ocean — are active currents. They 

 convey along immense volumes of water containing vast quanti- 

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

 equal quantities of salt, and salt to keep up supphes for the out- 

 going currents, must flow into or return to the inter-tropical re- 

 gions 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 immense volumes of water. 



451. The Currents of the Pacific. — The contrast has been 

 drawn (§ 442) between the China or " Gulf Stream" of the North 

 Pacific, and the Gulf Stream of the North Atlantic. The course 

 of the China Stream 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 Verd Islands. 



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

 Afirican 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 Xorth Pacific are generally gathered, but in 

 small quantities. 



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

 depend upon the drift-wood cast ashore there for all the timber 

 used in the construction of their boats, fishing-tackle, and house- 

 hold gear. Among this timber, the camphor-tree, and other woods 

 of China and Japan, are said to be often recognized. In this fact 

 we have additional evidence touching this China Stream, as to 

 which (§ 451) but little, at best, is known. " The Japanese," 

 says Lieutenant Bent,* in a paper read before the American Geo- 

 graphical Society, January, 1856, "are well aware of its existence, 

 and have given it the name of ' Kuro-Siwo,' or Black Stream, 



* Lieutenant Bent was in the Japan Expedition with Commodore Perry, and used 

 the opportunities thus afforded to study the phenomena of this stream. 



