8 THE CUEEENTS THEOUGH BHEEING'S STEAITS. 



CHAPTER V. 



166. Major Rennell, on p. 18 of his ' Investigation 

 of the Currents of the Atlantic Ocean/ referring to the 

 current which has generally been found running north- 

 wards through Bhering's Straits, from the Pacific into 

 the Arctic Ocean, remarks that, respecting this cur- 

 rent, " we have no certain knowledge but during the 

 height of summer. The report of Kobelef, quoted 

 by Captain Burney, says that 'after the month of 

 August the current changes and runs to the south 

 (that is from the Polar sea into the Pacific), bringing 

 with it the floating ice/ Such a change, and at 

 that particular season, appears to be a very extraor- 

 dinary fact ; and to rest on a single authority." Now, 

 let us consider what, according to our theory, should 

 be the currents of Bhering's Straits. 



167. In the first place, there is the annual tide 

 referred to in chapter i. section 15, which in the nor- 

 thern hemisphere is at its highest point at the Septem- 

 ber equinox, and at its lowest point at the March equi- 

 nox. And this tide should obviously tend to cause 

 tidal currents to run through Bhering's Straits in 

 opposite directions at different seasons of the year. 



