332 



0138HKVAT10NS ON THE GURKENTS. 



lat. 20" N. and 10^ S., and long. 10' to 40' W., published by the Meteoro- 

 logical Office, in 1876. (See the Diagrams illustrating the Best Monthly 

 Routes Across the Equator). 



The observations made on the Western portion of the Guinea Current 

 are neither as complete nor as numerous as might be wished, nevertheless 

 they lead to the conclusion that from the 20th meridian Westward this 

 Current undergoes periodical changes. We shall make this evident from a 

 tabular statement of the information yielded by the charts illustrating the 

 above-mentioned works. 



Guinea Current. 



It thus appears that the Guinea Current has its maximum extent in 

 August, reaching to 45^ W., and occupying IP on the meridian of 20' W. ; 

 and having its minimum extent in December, attaining long. 23' W., and 

 having a width of only 7° on the meridian of 20^ W. From December to 

 August it is extending its longitude Westward, and widening Northward ; 

 and from August to February it is losing its extension Westward, and its 

 Northern limit is retreating Southward again, 



(287.) In January the Guinea Current appears to originate about long. 

 25° W., lat. 6° N. ; at long. 20' W. it extends from lat. 2' to 10' N. Here 

 it is joined by the North African Current, which checks its tendency to 

 the Northward, and the united waters flow Eastward along the coast of 

 Guinea, being traceable nearly to Fernando Po. From its origin to Cape 

 Palmas its rate is from 10 to 15 miles per day, but off this cape it acquires 

 a greater velocity, ranging from 13 to 35 miles per day, which it maintains 

 until it reaches the meridian of 5" E. The Southern limit of this Current 

 is probably about lat. 2" N., but observations are here wanting. 



In February it commences in long. 25° W., lat. 10° N., but is seldom 

 felt 80 far West. From the 20th meridian it is well defined up to Fernando 

 Po, trending Southward to St. Thomas, its Southern limit being about 



* During February and December, Erequeut Wetterly Curreuts have also been re- 

 ported here. 



