68 A PLEASANT CHANGE. 



the world during winter, and the difficulty of 

 making them used to be much greater in former 

 days than now. The number of wrecks that take 

 place off the shores of New England in mid- winter 

 is frightful. All down that coast flows one of the 

 great cold currents from the north. The combined 

 influence of the cold atmosphere above it, and the 

 warm atmosphere over the Gulf Stream, far out at 

 sea, produces terrific gales. The month's average 

 of wrecks off that coast has been as high as three a 

 day. In making the coast, vessels are met fre- 

 quently by snow-storms, which clothe the rigging 

 with ice, rendering it unmanageable, and chill the 

 seaman's frame, so that he cannot manage his ship 

 or face the howling blast. Formerly, when unable 

 to make the coasl, owing to the fury of these bitter 

 westerly gales, he knew of no place of refuge short 

 of the West Indies, whither he was often compelled 

 to run, and there await the coming of genial spring 

 ere he again attempted to complete his voyage. 

 Now, however, the region of the Gulf Stream is 

 sought as a refuge. When the stiffened ropes re- 

 fuse to work, and the ship can no longer make 

 head against the storm, she is put about and steered 

 for the Gulf Stream. In a few hours she reaches 

 its edge, and almost in a moment afterwards she 

 passes from the midst of winter into a sea of sum- 

 mer heat ! " Now," as Maury beautifully expresses 

 it, " the ice disappears from her apparel ; the sailor 

 bathes his limbs in tepid waters. Feeling himself 



