74 
On the Florida or Gulf Stream. 
America, we shall find that it follows nearly the direction of a 
parallel of latitude, or east and west, and of course, very oblique 
to the tide coming from the east ; and, therefore, it is natural 
to suppose, that a current will be produced, setting westward, 
from Cape St Koque, along the shores of Guinea, Cumana, 
Terra Firma, the Musquito Shore, kc.y towards Cape Catouche 
in Yucatan. This, indeed, is verified by observation, for it is 
found, that the flood-tide combined with a current, runs along 
these coasts, generally at about the rate of two or three miles an 
hour. This current setting along the Caribbean Sea, will enter 
the Gulf of Mexico between Cape Antonio, in Cuba, and Cape 
Catouche, in Yucatan, and must, of course, raise the waters of 
that Gulf, to a considerable height above the general level of the 
ocean. A part of these waters, after the time of high water, 
will fall back into the Caribbean Sea ; and there actually has 
been [^observed a current off Cape Antonio, setting eastward 
along the south coast of Cuba. Indeed it has been asserted, by 
Captain Manderson of the Royal Navy, in his Observations on 
the Gulf Stream, that the waters about Cape Antonio, move 
sometimes one way, sometimes another, and are sometimes sta- 
tionaiy,” which may be expected, accprding as it is flood-tide, 
ebb-tide, or high water. 
From what we have already advanced, it is clear that the wa- 
ters between Cuba and Yucatan, must be higher than those be- 
tween Cuba and Florida ; and, therefore, the mass of waters car- 
ried into the Gulf of Mexico, in the manner already mentioned, 
must flow out between Cuba and East Florida. If we also- 
take into consideration the number of great rivers, and among 
them the Missisippi, itself like a sea, that falls into the Gulf of 
Mexico, which is, comparatively speaking, small, their waters 
must endeavour to extend themselves over a portion of sea great- 
er than that gulf ; and since, from the accumulation of water 
coming from the Caribbean Sea, depending on causes already 
pointed out, the waters of the Missisippi, and other rivers, fal- 
ling into the Gulf of Mexico from the west and north, cannot 
extend themselves over, that sea towards the south, they must 
flow along its northern shore towards the east. That the waters 
of great rivers do flow to a considerable distance in the ocean, 
can be easily proved. In Columbus’s first voyage to America, he 
