THE GULF STREAM.

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Channel to the northern ports of the United States; one or other of which is selected by the vessels making for this destination, according to the season or time of the year, they may have to cross the Atlantic. These are distinguished amongst seamen as the northern, and southern passage; the first continuing to the northward of the Gulf stream, in 40° to 45° degrees northern latitude, until it crosses the great bank of Newfoundland, as also Saint George's bank on the American coast, which it usually meets in 64 degrees west longitude.

The Gulf stream, which escapes from the gulf of Mexico, from which it derives its name, by the Floridas, through the old Bahama channel, runs nearly parallel with the east coast of North America, decreasing its velocity, in its progress, from three knots per hour; at the same time extending its width, as it proceeds to the northward, and verging to the southward of the great bank of Newfoundland, is joined by the arctic current from Bherring and Davis Straits, which diverts its course to a southeasterly direction. Its breadth is supposed fifty miles on the American coast; off Charleston it is probably sixty miles; off Cape Hatteras, near ninety; and off the Capes of Virginia, from one hundred to one hundred and twenty; and extends to about one hundred and sixty leagues at the Azores. After passing Gibraltar, Madeira, &c. it unites with the tropical current, passes through the Caribbean sea, and again falls into the gulf of Mexico, after running a circuit of near fifteen thousand miles.

It was formerly supposed that this current was principally occasioned by the Mississippi, and other giant rivers of western America, that flow into the Mexican gulf. But this opinion is now exploded, and has given way to the received notion, that it is altogether produced by the trade winds, that, blowing continually from the eastward, in the latitude of the tropics, propel a vast body of the water of the Atlantic, to the north-eastern coast of South America, and passing the West India islands, is forced along the shores of Caraccas, Carthagena, &c. into the Bay of Honduras, and subsequently escaping through the narrow pass between Cape Cartouche on the continent, and Cape Saint Antonio on the island of Cuba, enters the gulf of Mexico, and unites itself in its further progress with the waters of the Mississippi.

The other, or southern passage to the United States, crosses this stream, or great" oceanic river,” as it is sometimes called, first in its progress to the south-east, and running for a considerable distance almost parallel to its southern boundary, again crosses it within about eighty leagues of the coast of America.

Vessels sailing by the northern passage, though exposed to much blowing weather, generally make the quickest run. The distance, too, is somewhat shorter. Our captain selected this route, regardless of its difficulties, and particularly of the ice, that at this time had broken up to the northward, and was known to have drifted in very considerable quantities

by the arctic current across the bank of Newfoundland. He affected to despise all notion of attendant danger; though it had become a matter of notoriety before our leaving Liverpool, that an unusual number of icebergs had already been met with by homewardbound vessels, deterring many others, proceeding on the outward voyage, from selecting this route.

Several days had now passed by, without any remarkable incident taking place to divert the scene from its usual monotony. We had sometimes a fair wind to cheer the prospect of a speedy release, and termination of our voyage, but in general had to contend with strong westerly winds, against which it was difficult to make much head way. A vessel was now and again descried from the mast head; sometimes visible from the deck. Those astern were soon lost sight of, whilst our superior sailing generally enabled us to come up with any that might be discovered a-head. The coming-up-with and hailing a vessel at sea is always a joyous occurrence, and exhilarating to all on board. It in a manner brings us back to the world, -to a communion with our species, and dissipates for a while the feeling of solitude and utter loneliness, that frequently seizes upon the mind when at sea; independent of the curiosity to which it gives rise, in the minds of all, to discover the name and character of the stranger-the nation under the protection of whose flag she is proceeding on her way. But our captain seldom felt any anxiety on this head; and, if that a half quarter of a mile might bring us within hailing distance of a

strange sail, would rather avoid, than encourage such approach.

After experiencing two or three severe gales, which are somewhat usual in crossing by the northern passage, we now approached, with a fine easterly breeze, the outward, or eastern skirt of the Newfoundland bank. The weather, for two or three previous days, continued unusually fine; the temperature, however, subject to frequent variation; the thermometer having fallen, within the short space of twenty-four hours, from 64° to 40° degrees, the water to the temperature of 38° of Fahrenheit. The evenings set in with unusual chill, accompanied by heavy dense fogs, which prevented the possibility of distinguishing the ship's length from the deck. It was very evident that this sudden transition both in weather and temperature of the sea, must have proceeded from some unusual, though defined agency acting on both, which might with great propriety be attributed to the icebergs supposed to be in our immediate vicinage. The wind, as observed, was fair from the eastward, which proved a far too powerful incentive to our captain to "push a-head," rather than adopt the advised course, of shortening sail at nightfall; or the more prudential one of heaving the vessel to. But the character of his ship, and his own, in a great measure, depended upon the quickness and despatch with which he might make the passage. He was, in consequence, deaf to all remonstrance, and callous to every approach of danger that did not appear imminent. The advantages resulting from

66 ICEBERGS A-HEAD.”

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a few hours fair wind, outweighed every other consideration, and set at nought the perils that hovered near. Every other eye was strained on the look out, until at length about four o'clock P.M. of the second day of our watching, all surmises were set at rest by the man at the mast-head calling out, as he hailed the quarter-deck-"Icebergs a-head." A very natural curiosity soon rallied our entire party on deck, and for a while put an end to every other association in our minds. A short run of about two hours brought us near to this northern visitant, in order to avoid which, we were compelled to alter our course two and a half points to the northward. A second-and soon a third, hove in sight; while, before sunset, we could plainly distinguish eleven large islands, besides several smaller ones, from the quarter-deck.

The appearance of these moving mountains, reflecting each shade of the evening's sun, as we passed them in succession, was exceedingly beautiful. We supposed them to have been from one hundred and twenty, to one hundred and sixty feet above the sea level, while two-thirds of their actual size lay buried beneath the water; stretching out to an unusual width at every side, and forming reefs over which the sea dashed with very considerable force. Their shape or form, as well as size, is subject to continued change, which is the more rapid, as they advance to the southward. Our providentially falling in with them, at the hour they first hove in sight, was of fortunate occurrence; for if they had escaped observation till after dark, no human foresight could have