314 OBSEBVATIONS ON THE CUEEENTS. 



in general to mingle with the Guinea Current. The general tendency 

 Northward, which the Guinea Current exhibits off Sierra Leone, must lead 

 rather to the inference that some of the water of this Current finds its way 

 into the Westerly Drift (North Equatorial Current), mingling with the 

 receding North African Current about lat. 10° N. 



Off the African coast, from 10° to 17° N., the Current is a variable one, 

 at times setting to the Northward, fed by the Guinea Current, but more 

 frequently to the Southward, fed by the North African Current. Here, 

 therefore, the general rate comes out low, being from 3 to 6 miles, though 

 the seasonal rates are much higher. Among the Cape Verde Islands the 

 rate is also extremely trifling, and this is probably accounted for by the 

 effect of tides upon a ship's course near the land, as sets in various direc- 

 tions have been reported here. 



January. — The North African Current, flowing to the Southward between 

 Portugal and long. 18° W., acquires an Easterly tendency towards the 

 Mediterranean Sea. After passing Madeira, it flows to the Westward of 

 South, extending to long. 25° W. in the latitude of the Cape Verde Islands, 

 where it merges into the Westerly Drift. The portion which passes between 

 these islands and the continent merges into the Guinea Current about 

 lat. 10° N. The daily rate of this Current is from 6 to 18 miles. 



February. — The North African Current, between the parallels of 40° and 

 30° N., extends from the coast to long. 18° W. Here it appears to be fed 

 by a drift from the W.N.W., which is traceable to long. 35° W., and a 

 tendency towards the Mediterranean is apparent. The daily rate is from 

 9 to 22 miles. Southward, to the 20th parallel, observations are deficient, 

 but between 20° and 10° N. the Current, though very feeble, is still per- 

 ceptible. Eastward of the Cape Verde Islands it tends towards the land 

 while drifting onward to join the Guinea Current in lat. 10° N. Westward 

 of these islands it soon becomes lost in the Westerly Drift. From the 

 20th to the 6th degrees of latitude the rate of this Current varies from 8 

 to 19 miles per day. 



March. — The North African Current does not appear to have a decided 

 Southerly set near the land as much as along the 20th meridian, where it 

 travels 20 or 30 miles a day abreast Cape Verde. The Easterly tendency 

 towards the Mediterranean is well marked at from 7 to 20 miles per day. 

 To the North of the Canary Islands there is evidence of a counter Westerly 

 set at the rate of 10 to 14 miles. From lat. 15° N., long. 20° W., to 5° N., 

 15° W., a North- Westerly set has at times been experienced of 17 to 23 

 miles daily, considerably stronger than the South-Easterly sets, which are 

 reported there in this month. From 20° to 10° N., and 25° to 27-^ W„ the 

 Currents appear to be uncertain, but to the Westward the Westerly Drift 

 seems established. 



April. — The North African Current exhibits more decided southing than 

 in March, but the inset to the Mediterranean is scarcely perceptible. It 

 extends about 10° from the land, from lat. 40° to 8° N., where it joins the 

 Guinea Current (Tn the right, and the Westerly Drift on the left. 



May. — The tendency of the Current towards the Mediterranean is still 

 evident, but the flow Southward is more decided than in April. From 

 40° N. to the Canary Islands the rate is from 7 to 21 miles. This Current 



