THE NOETH EQUATOEIAL CUEKENT. 343 



Vkhat are commonly cailed fields of weed. These, however, are generally 

 Email, and seldom, I suspect, remain long so disarranged." 



Mr. Luccock was of opinion that the weed grew on the bottom in the 

 area where it is found floating, but more recent explorations have disproved 

 this", as before stated. 



5.— THE NOETH EQUATOEIAL CUEEENT. 



(302.) The name which is usually given to the great Drifts of the Trade 

 "Winds, having as wide a range of latitude as 50° or 60°, is scarcely expres- 

 sive. The Equatorial Current, strictly speaking, is the counter-current 

 we have just described. However, the Drift which is intended passes to 

 the S.W. and West of the Azores and Canaries, and from the Coast of 

 Africa to the Gulf of Mexico, Northward of the Easterly Counter-Current 

 in the North Atlantic; while the great Drift of the S.E. Trade Wind, 

 crossing the Equator Southward of the Counter-Current, and running 

 strongly to the N.N.W., along the coast of Guayana, joins its strength to 

 the Northern portion, and thus, together, they pass between the islands 

 and through the Caribbean Sea. 



The Drift of the N.E. Trade is not so powerful as that of the S.E. Trade, 

 as the interference of the land causes such a great change in the regularity 

 of the winds which certainly must be taken as the greatest cause in the 

 production of these currents. In general, it is a very feeble current, and 

 the mean rate has been over-estimated in former times by many observers. 

 In its Northern limits in the open ocean its annual average, from a careful 

 calculation, amounts from 8"2 miles to 11*6 miles per day; in its Southern 

 and stronger portion it is from 16 to 22-4 miles per day. Westward of 

 the Cape Verde Islands, its mean direction is nearly due West, which is 

 remarkable, considering the northing of the Trade Wind. It would seem 

 scarcely necessary to enlarge much vipon the rate and extent of this well- 

 known current ; but, as it may be interesting to compare individual ex- 

 perience with that of preceding voyages, we give as heretofore a series 

 of examples by which the ordinary rate and circumstances may be 

 reckoned on, 



(303.J H.M.S. Challenger (February 15th— March 14th, 1873), iu cross- 

 ing the North Atlantic directly between the Canary Islands and Sombrero, 

 the Northern extreme of the Caribbee Islands, found the Current to flow 

 as indicated in the Current Chart, page 295 ; the velocities, however, were 

 greater in places. In long. 19° V/. the Current flowed to the S. by W. at 

 a rate of 10 miles in the 24 hours ; in 22° W., 9 miles S.S.W. ; in 25° W., 

 13 or 14 miles W. by S. ; in 31° W., 10 miles W.S.W. ; in 33° W., 21 

 miles W.S.W. ; in 35° W., 14 miles W.S.W. ; in 37° W., 8 miles W.S.W. ; 

 between 39° and 42° W., 11 or 12 miles W.S.W.; between 42° and 45° W., 

 16 miles W. by S. ; in long. 46i° W., 12 miles S.S.W. ; in 48^° W., 11 

 miles W.N.W. ; in 51° W., 7 miles W.S.W. ; in 53° W., 4 miles W.S.W. ; 

 in 54° W., 18 miles West ; in 55J° W., 15 miles W.S.W. ; in 57^° W., 1^ 



