670 JAMAICA. 



almoll empty all the bays. The fame wuids may a£l alfo upon the Bay 

 of Mexico, and m fome meafurc obftruLt the regular influx between Cape 

 Antonio and Cape Catoche; whence it may happen, that, a lefs fupply 

 thai at other times flowing into the gulph, the channel there may be low- 

 ered, and confequently caufe a drain from the Florida bays to replenifli 



The difficulty of ftemming this current at any feafon of the year, is the 

 reafon, that all fhips bound for Jamaica, as well from the Norciiern colo- 

 nies, as from Europe, run into the latitude of 17% or 17° 30' North, to 

 fall in with the trade wind, which fets with tiie current, and favours 

 their pafiTage. It is no lefs Inconvenient for them to attempt a courfe to 

 the ifland by the windward paffage, though fome few French, and other 

 light (hips, have gone to Hifpaniola this way, between the Caicoes, or 

 Turk's lilands; for the current almoft uniformly fets to North ward through 

 that paffage, and is therefore, in general, favourable only to veliels home- 

 ward bound from Jamaica to Europe, or North America. The fliips 

 which load towards the Wefliern end of Jamaica, find great delay when 

 they are deep in the water, and homeward bound, in beating up againft 

 both the trade wind and current; and, for the moft part, bear away for 

 the gulph, having then both of them in their favour. The (hips, there- 

 fore, which load at the Eaftern parts, have an advantage in this refpeft; 

 for after ftretching acrofs to the N. VV. land of Hifpaniola, they haul 

 through the windward paffage, with a current to help them, and, by this 

 means, fhorten their navigation confiderably. The larger, or main cur- 

 rents, feem to be pretty regular; but the variation in the fmaller ones 

 often difconcerts the expertell pilots, and requires a courfe of attejitlve 

 obfervation, to determine the probable caufes of their fhifting at different 

 times of the year. Whether owing to the pofition of the globe, to the 

 tides, the fhifting of the trade wind, the angle of incidence at which thefe 

 currents flrike the different head lands, iflands, and coafl;s, an accidental 

 drain, or an accumulation of water at fome fmall dihance, or other 

 caufe ; and in what manner the direftion thefe currents take may ufu- 

 ally corrcfpond with the relpedive caufe. 



[ /'] It lias been obfcrvcd, that the tide runs unufually high tipon the South coafl of Jimaica, 

 when the Norths blow with greatelt violence; this is tindoubtedly occafioned by the obllrurtion 

 then given to the current fetting towards the Bay ot IMexico, by which means, the water is repelled, 

 aad accumulated upon the coails of this illand. 



The 



