THE ATLANTIC CUJ1KENTS. 
19 
* 0 leagues. "When vessels, on their return from South 
America to Europe, endeavour to make these two islands 
to rectify their longitude, they are always sensible of the 
motion of the waters to south-east. At the h3rd degree of 
latitude the equinoctial current of the tropics is in the near 
'icmity of the Gulf-stream. In this part of the ocean, we 
may ui a single day pass from waters that flow towards the 
" es C ul to those which run to the south-east or east-south- 
east. 
1 rom the Azores, the current of Florida turns towards 
"'^traits of Gibraltar, the isle of Madeira, and the group 
°i the Canary Islands. The opening of the Pillars of Her- 
cules has no doubt accelerated the motion of the waters 
wards the cast. \\ r 0 may in this point of view assert, 
w>l ii s f ra * fc ’ by which the Mediterranean communicates 
mnw - C Produces its effects at a great distance; 
' ls probable also, that, without the existence of this 
“ 1 ,‘!_ i vcsse ls sailing to Tcncriffe would bo driven south- 
\ S L I a , c / USe ivc must seek on the coasts of the 
civ World. Every motion is the cause of another motion in 
. 0 va ^ basin of the seas as well as in the aerial ocean. Tra- 
cing the currents to their most distant sources, and roflect- 
mg on their variable celerity, sometimes decreasing as bc- 
'' e ®P the gulf of Florida and the bank of Newfoundland ; 
a ' other times augmenting, as in the neighbourhood of the 
s raits ot Gibraltar, and near the Canary Islands, we can- 
u °t doubt but the same cause which impels the waters to 
make the circuitous sweep of the gulf of Mexico, agitates 
them also near the island of Madeira. 
. On the south of that island, we may follow the current, 
m its direction S.E. and S.S.E. towards the coast of Africa, 
etween Cape Cantin and Cape Bojador. In those lati- 
udes a vessel becalmed is running on the coast, while, 
according to the uncorrected reckoning, it was supposed to 
e a good distance out at sea. Were the motion of the 
Haters caused by tlie opening at tlic straits of Gibraltar, 
Hhy, on the south of those straits, should it not follow an 
opposite direction ? On the contrary, in the 25th and 26th 
agrees of latitude, the current flows at first direct south, 
and then south-west. Cape Blanc, which, after Capo Vera, 
is tue most salient promontory, seems to have an influence 
o 2 
