476 CURRENTS AND WHALING. 



much diminution in its strength, until we lost the trades in latitude 

 19° N. The drift by this current was two hundred and seventy-one 

 miles, in a direction S. 71° W. 



At the Sandwich Islands, I am not disposed to think, from any 

 observations I had an opportunity of making, that there are any 

 regular currents, or any set of the waters, except what is caused by 

 the winds. There is in fact rarely any difficulty in beating to wind- 

 ward ; the time of passing between the islands is about the same at all 

 seasons of the year; and I found none in beating up to my port in a 

 reasonable time, after falling to leeward of it. Their position is assimi- 

 lated to St. Helena. The temperature of the waters around these islands 

 is about the same as that which prevails in the ocean in the neighbour- 

 hood, a fact which, as I have already stated, I consider to be a proof 

 that no polar current reaches them. 



Our passage from the Hawaiian Group to the Northwest Coast, 

 gave interesting results in relation to the currents. They were ir- 

 regular until we reached the latitude of 37° N. ; after which we were 

 strongly affected by a southeast current, whose influence continued 

 until we reached the coast of Oregon. At this time it ran at the rate 

 of fifty miles in twenty-four hours; but when the Peacock traversed 

 this same space, ninety days later, the velocity had not only dimi- 

 nished, but what current was found, was nearly in an opposite 

 direction. In relation to the extent of this southeast current in the 

 months of March and April, I have no precise information, nor can 

 I supply it from others, since those who had previously visited this 

 part of the ocean had not paid sufficient attention to this subject to 

 furnish any precise data. All however agree in the fact, that they were 

 affected by a southeast current after reaching the longitude of 130° W., 

 and the latitude of 35° N. 



Within the space embraced by the meridians of 145° and 160° W., 

 and the parallels of 28° and 35° N., the currents appear to lose them- 

 selves ; and this is therefore to be considered as a nucleus. 



This southeast current may be either a return of an equatorial cur- 

 rent, or a direct polar stream. Its temperatui'e would rather lead to 

 the latter conclusion ; yet there is an equatorial stream on the oppo- 

 site shores of the Pacific, flowing to the northeast: this is well known 

 to exist on the coast of Japan, extending to the Aleutian Islands, and 

 passing northwards along the coast of Kamtschatka. Of its existence 

 off the latter country we have many satisfactory proofs, and more 

 particularly those of Captain Beechey on the temperature of the sea 

 which he found in latitude 67° N., near the Icy Cape. The latter 

 fact leaves no doubt that the influence of a current coming from a 



