On the Florida or Gul/'Siream. 15 
found his vessel in fresh water, at the mouth of the Orinoco, before 
he discovered land, whence he inferred, he was near some great 
continent, which alone could produce such a stream. In Macleod\s 
voyage to China, a stream of fresh water was found at a considera- 
ble distance from the shores of Java, and the British fleet, which 
blockaded Toulon, occasionally took in fresh water at the mouth 
of the Rhone, at a considerable distance from land. Hence, then, 
it is clear, that the streams of large rivers flow a considerable 
way into the ocean. The Missisippi, and other large rivers which 
fall into the Gulf of Mexico, must therefore, in some direction 
or other do the same. But since a current of water flows gene- 
rally into the Gulf of Mexico, between Yucatan and Cuba, the 
waters of the Missisippi cannot flow out in that direction ; they 
must therefore, with more or less velocity, flow out between 
Cuba and Florida. This, combining with the superabundant 
waters of the ocean collected in the gulf, flowing round between 
Cuba and Cape Sable in Florida, is, by the north-west shores of 
Cuba, the Bahama Isles, and banks, turned round the eastern 
shores of East Florida, and must set northward along the east 
coast of America, with considerable velocity, constituting what 
is called the Florida or Gulf Stream. This conclusion is veri- 
fied by observation ; for the waters in the Gulf Stream, in the 
greater part of its course to the north of the Bahama Islands, are 
found, by the thermometer, to be warmer than those of the seas 
immediately bordering on it, whence they must come from a 
warmer climate, and, when chemically examined, to possess a 
less degree of saltness, and therefore must consist chiefly of fresh 
water. Hence, from these two causes, namely, the current form- 
ed by the flood-tide^ setting in between Cuba and Yucatan, and 
the fresh water from the Missisippi, and other large rivers, fal- 
ling into the Gulf of Mexico, combined and modified in the 
manner we have described, and not either of them separately, as, 
has been sometimes affirmed, making its escape northward, along 
the eastern coast of A^nerica, we think, it will evidently ap- 
pear, is derived the true cause of the Gulf Stream. Hence, too, 
the circular motion of the waters in the northern Atlantic, and 
other phenomena, attempted to be established by Humboldt, 
will receive a satisfactpry solution. 
Edinburgh, September 1820. Nautigus, 
