Great Southwest Current from the Pacific. 327 
while immediately below. this current the upper portion of the 
trade wind is found to be from the southeast, as above noticed, 
and no longer moves towards the equator, but becomes also in 
due course of its progression to the higher latitudes, a southwest- 
erly wind. This higher and main current from the southwest, 
coincides with the observed course of the two Cuba storms in 
the lower latitudes ; and in its further progress and periodical va- 
Nations it also accords with the general course of the storms 
which have been traced in the temperate latitudes. 
_ That this predominant current is mainly or largely due to the 
prevailing winds of the Pacific Ocean, I cannot doubt. The 
great extent of northwesterly and westerly winds found on the 
eastern border of the Pacific, in the trade wind latitudes, has been 
noticed above, and a portion of this current appears to. find its 
way to the southern parts of the Caribean sea as a surface wind, 
at certain seasons. Without inquiring whether the higher por- 
tions of this current of the north Pacific may not unite with the 
_ Westerly winds of the Atlantic basin, it may suflice to state, that 
on the southern coast of Central America it is not found within 
six or eight degrees of the equator. On the contrary, we here 
meet with the vast stream of southwesterly winds, which have 
crossed the equator from the southern hemisphere, where they 
Constantly prevail, as the southerly winds, on the coasts of Chili 
- and Peru, That the lowest and most westward portions of this 
current are deflected in the southern hemisphere and merged with 
the southeast trade wind, I do not doubt ; but the main current 
Still pursues its course, which is noceasarily more towards the 
Northeast on. crossing. the equator, and in its further progress, as 
abtive: Stated, it is found superimposed on the westerly and other 
winds of Central America and southern Mexico, and con- 
stitutes the main southwest current which is so often recognized 
in the lower latitudes. 
© There are two other extensive winds of the Pacific, of a char- 
acter somewhat anomalous, which in. their ultimate tendencies 
“May serve to promote and strengthen this aerial movement to the 
North Atlantic basin ; first, the great westerly monsoon, south of 
= the equator, which, even as a surface wind, is found to cross the 
; greater part of the Pacific, from the Indian Seas, in the principal 
- 8Son af the Northers ; and, second, the equatorial belt of west- 
seg which is so remarkable a feature in the aérology of 
‘that great ocean, 
