CURRENTS AND WHALING. 503 



flows on the western side appears to be the strongest, and is felt as 

 far to the north as Cook's Straits. The current which flows on the 

 eastern side, forms an eddy to the north of the islands. 



We must here note, although we did not ourselves enter it, the 

 Polar Stream which sets upon Cape Leeuwin, the southwestern pro- 

 montory of New Holland. According to Captain Flinders, whose 

 statement is corroborated by French authorities, this stream appears to 

 be divided at the cape ; and both of these branches were found to set 

 with great velocity for a short distance to the north and east of that 

 cape. The branch that sets eastward along the southern coast of 

 New Holland, has at first a velocity of as much as twenty-seven 

 miles in twenty-four hours; the other branch, setting north, has a 

 velocity of from twenty to thirty miles. All authorities agree that 

 both of these velocities are rapidly diminished, and at times the 

 eastern branch is felt feebly beyond Bass's Straits. The northern 

 branch follows a line parallel to the coast, and on reaching the 

 north coast of New Holland, is deflected again, and flows off to the 

 northward and westward. 



On our return to Sydney from the Antarctic cruise, we again 

 encountered the warm stream ; and being now aware of its existence, 

 I was able so to shape the course of the vessel as to pass out and into 

 it again as we ran up the coast. The temperature of its waters was 

 found to be 75°. 



In crossing from Sydney to New Zealand, on leaving the coast the 

 same current was found to exist, both by the temperature and the 

 drift of the ship. We also passed over what is called by the whalers, 

 the Middle Ground, and while we were in it no current was found to 

 prevail, a circumstance to which I shall have occasion to refer here- 

 after. 



Between New Zealand and Tonga the currents were variable, and 

 their general effect was a drift of one hundred and eight miles in a 

 direction S. 88° W. On this route we passed the Kermadec Islands, 

 and through the latitudes where the southern polar streams seem to 

 be lost. 



On leaving Tonga, we soon met with the current existing among 

 the Feejee Islands. This current sets through the eastern range of 

 these islands to the northeast, as observed by the Porpoise during her 

 survey of that portion of the group, and as shown by the manner in 

 which the casks of the whale-ship Shylock, wrecked on Turtle Island, 

 were carried to Fulanga where they were picked up. We also expe- 

 rienced the same current in the drift it caused, on the first night of our 



