112 
HAROLD’S DISCUSSIONS. 
frequently winds from other points of the compass, 
sometimes from east, and often from north and west 
points. But the mass of air in a general wa}^ may he 
said to move spirally eastward toward the poles. 
In this connection it is interesting to notice that 
there is considerable correspondence in the movements 
of the ocean currents and of the winds. On each 
side of the equator are two currents, for the most 
part parallel; the one south of the equator in the 
Atlantic deflects poleward along the Brazil coast, and 
the one in the Paciflc Ocean deflects to the west of 
Australia. The one flowing along the north side of 
the equator in the Atlantic enters the Caribbean Sea 
and the Gulf of Mexico, and then, passing between 
Cuba and Florida, flows northeast across the Atlantic, 
as the Gulf Stream. That in the Paciflc forms the 
Japan currents, which takes a northeast direction 
toward Alaska. All these currents in the ocean near 
the arctic regions more or less deflect, and turn back 
upon themselves. Do the ocean currents carry the 
air that rests on the water along with them ? Or do 
the winds direct the currents ? I have seen the direc¬ 
tion of the Gulf Stream changed to a considerable 
extent by strong winds in the Caribbean Sea and 
the Gulf. 
But to return to winds. We have thus far men¬ 
tioned two calm regions, the doldrums and the horse 
latitudes. The calms of the latter are not so pro¬ 
nounced as in the former, there being frequent light, 
variable winds. There is a third region of calm, called 
the polar, in close proximity to the poles. 
