INFLUENCE OF THE GULF STREAM UPON COMMERCE. 61 
genial warmth about him, he reahzes, out there at sea, the fable 
of Antaeus and his mother Earth. He rises up and attempts to 
make his port again, and is again as rudely met and beat back 
from the northwest ; but each time that he is driven off from the 
contest, he comes forth from this stream, like the ancient son of 
Neptune, stronger and stronger, until, after many days, his fresh- 
ened strength prevails, and he at last triumphs and enters his ha- 
ven in safety ; though in this contest he sometimes falls to rise no 
more, for it is often terrible. Many ships annually founder in 
these gales ; and I might name instances, for they are not uncom- 
mon, in which vessels bound to Norfolk or Baltimore, with their 
crews enervated in tropical climates, have encountered, as far 
down as the Capes of Virginia, snow-storms that have driven them 
back into the Gulf Stream time and again, and have kept them 
out for forty, fifty, and even for sixty days, trying to make an an- 
chorage. 
80. Nevertheless, the presence of the warm waters of the Gulf 
Stream, with their summer heat in mid-winter, off the shores of 
New England, is a great boon to navigation. At this season of 
the year especially, the number of wrecks and the loss of life along 
the Atlantic sea-front are frightful. The month's average of 
wrecks has been as high as three a day. How many escape by 
seeking refuge from the cold in the warm waters of the Gulf 
Stream is matter of conjecture. Suffice it to say, that before 
their temperature was known, vessels thus distressed knew of no 
place of refuge short of the West Indies ; and the newspapers of 
that day — ^Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette among them — inform 
us that it was no uncommon occurrence for vessels, bound for the 
Capes of the Delaware in winter, to be blown off and to go to the 
West Indies, and there wait for the return of spring before they 
would attempt another approach to this part of the coast. 
81. Accordingly, Dr. Franklin's discovery with regard to the 
Gulf Stream temperature was looked upon as one of great import- 
ance, not only on account of its affording to the frosted mariner in 
winter a convenient refuge from the snow-storm, but because of 
its serving the navigator with an excellent land-mark or beacon 
for our coast in all weathers. And so viewing it, the doctor con- 
cealed his discovery, for we were then at war with England. It 
was then not uncommon for vessels to be as much as 10° out in 
