*95 
that often prevails to the Westward of Scilly. 
We are not to consider the water of this current, as having 
made the circuit of the Bay of Biscay ; but as the collective 
body of pent up waters, in the Bay, running off along the SW 
coast of Britanny, and thence to the north-westward ; pre- 
serving nearly the direction it had acquired, by running along 
that coast. And it may be conceived, that the frequent recur- 
rence of westerly winds, keeps up a constant current in the 
Bay, and to some distance beyond it ; although during the 
longest intermissions of these winds, the current may become 
so slow, as to be scarce perceptible. 
The second particular which perplexes me, is, that no 
northern set is indicated by Captain Cooper's journal : that 
is to say, by the mode in which each day's log is wrought ; 
and which, in the formation of the chart, as is said before, I 
have strictly adhered to. It indeed appears to me very won- 
derful, that no northing should appear, when it seems to be 
the very same kind of current which carried the Hector so 
far to the northward. It is certain, that the state of the 
weather was such, as to preclude those nice attentions to the 
reckoning, which might enable us to detect any small dif- 
ferences, between the latitude by account, and that by obser- 
vation ; although the western set was too considerable to es- 
cape notice, and may even have been more than the state- 
ment sets forth. I cannot therefore, by any means admit, 
that there was no northing in the current through which the 
Atlas passed ; first, because they had not observations of lati- 
tude, regularly; and lastly, because on the 31st of January, 
when lying to, 36 miles are allowed for 20 hours drift, to the 
north-west ; which appears to me excessive. On that day 
they had no observation of latitude, and on the following 
