494 CURRENTS AND WHALING. 



in navigation, is between the waters of the Equatorial and Guinea 

 Currents. These exhibit the remarkable phenomenon of parallel 

 streams, in contact with each other, flowing with great velocity in 

 opposite directions, and having a difference of temperature amount- 

 ing to ten or twelve degrees. Their course continues to run parallel 

 to each other, and to the land, for above one thousand miles ; and, 

 according as a vessel, required to proceed along the coast in either 

 direction, is placed in the one or in the other current, will her course 

 be aided from forty to fifty miles a day, or retarded to the same 

 amount." 



This Guinea Current is lost in the Bight of Benin, near Prince's 

 Island, which lies under the equator, in the longitude of 7° E., and 

 it is confined and obstructed by a southern polar stream, much in the 

 same manner as the Labrador is affected by the Gulf Stream on the 

 coast of the United States, and which is supposed to be lost near 

 Cape Hatteras. 



Beyond the Cape de Verdes, overfalls, rips, and a continual tendency 

 to change in the surface of the ocean, are experienced, as if two great 

 conflicting submarine currents were meeting at some depth beneath 

 the surface. 



As we proceeded on our route from Porto Praya to Rio Janeiro, 

 the same appearances continued ; but we did not meet the Equatorial 

 Stream until we had crossed the equator and reached the latitude of 

 3° S., and longitude 25° W. It was then pursuing its course towards 

 the coast of Brazil, whence passing between the Windward Islands, it 

 finally enters the Gulf of Mexico. 



This part of our passage afforded many interesting observations, 

 exhibiting extended rips and the boilings above spoken of, alternating 

 with smooth spaces, and variable currents, setting for a short time in 

 one direction and immediately afterwards in the opposite. All spoke 

 of a conflict of currents, and a forcible mingling of the waters beneath 

 the surface. From Porto Praya to Rio we were influenced by cur- 

 rents, two hundred and eighty miles N., 41° W. 



To prove the prolongation of the Equatorial Current to the west- 

 ward, I shall refer again to other authority, although, as has been 

 seen, we experienced it ourselves on our voyage homewards. In the 

 continuation of the voyage of the Pheasant, Colonel Sabine says : 



" On the Brazilian side, from Pernambuco to Cape St. Roque, the 

 northerly current rapidly accelerated, until, in passing the Cape, it 

 may be considered that the Pheasant had entered the full stream of 



