same manner as in the friction of any other two substances; and however the surface of the ocean may be agitated by this contact, and raised into waves by its force, we cannot suppose it capable of acting to any considerable depth, or of displacing large bodies of water. It is, indeed, understood, that though the swell of a wave advances on the surface, the water, over which it moves, remains nearly stationary; so that although the winds may, in some small degree, aid or impede the tides, or the currents, they cannot be considered the cause of the movement, any more in the one case, than in the other. There appears to be a close resemblance between this circulation kept up in the waters, and that known to exist in the atmosphere. In the latter we have winds of various power and continuance, and also whirlwinds, occasioned, like the whirlpools in fluids, by the action of two contrary streams, or by the disturbance occasioned by an opposing object. There are also such decided counter-currents in the air, from the effort to preserve a just balance in that element, that it is a common practice with æronauts to send up a small balloon, before launching their larger one, in order to discover in what direction the upper currents of the winds may be setting.

The whole system of the currents in the ocean can probably never be distinctly defined, on

account of its great extent, and the very partial observations of voyagers. Besides, there must be a constant, though slow alteration in the directions of their smaller divisions, according as the opposing objects are gradually worn away. But the general outline of the larger branches may be traced with tolerable distinctness, and may be here explained as they now exist in our own times. The present great system of currents, then, may be traced from the western coast of America across the Pacific Ocean; of this current we as yet know little, but that it exists. But one branch of it strikes on the south of New Holland, running through Bass's Straits, round South Cape; and another branch runs amongst the Islands of the Archipelago, on the north of New Holland. On entering the Indian Ocean, and meeting the South Polar current, it runs through the Gulf of Bengal, round Cape Comorin, and over to Africa, acquiring great velocity in its passage. From the Straits of Babelmandel, it keeps always a southwest direction, till it doubles the Cape of Good Hope, when it turns to the north-west, following the line of the coast. On approaching the equator, it sets nearly west. When in the latitude of three degrees North, it meets with another current, which has run southerly along the west coast of Africa, with which it unites,

and crosses the Atlantic, nearly W.S.W. On reaching the Brazils, it diverges, at Cape St. Augustine, into two streams; one going S.W. parallel with the coast, till it doubles Cape Horn, where it meets the South Polar currents. The other part of this great Atlantic stream proceeds in a northerly direction through the Gulf of Glandin, along the shores of the United States, where it is called the Gulf Stream, to Newfoundland; and here it is backed by the North Polar currents; takes an easterly course across the Atlantic, coming over to the coast of Norway, and the British Isles, and turning thence to the south, through the Bay of Biscay, and along the coasts of Spain and Africa, meets the great southern current, in the latitude of three degrees North. The breadth of the African branch of this magnificent ocean river, is supposed to be from 150 to 1000 miles. At the Cape of Good Hope, it runs at the rate of about two miles an hour; at the equator, three and a half; and in the Gulf Stream, four miles an hour.

It may easily be supposed what changes must be constantly taking place in the bed of the ocean, and on the shores of the dry land, by the neverceasing action of these currents, the force of which is too powerful to be more than slightly affected by the action of the tides, or the winds. There

is, probably, a very great re-action also below the surface, and at greater depths, than our very limited observations can penetrate.*

If such is the power and action of the currents and the tides, in the earth, as it now is, we may safely conclude, that they were not less active in the Antediluvian seas, the beds of which we now inhabit; having it thus in our power to examine the various strata of earthy debris, which, in the course of more than sixteen centuries, were deposited in various directions, according to the partial changes that must be constantly taking place in the direction of the currents, as the opposing points by which they are, in a great degree, guided, are worn away.

Having thus found one agent of sufficient power to remove vast quantities of mineral matter from the land, into the ocean; and another, the effect of which is, gradually to arrange this matter, in strata more or less horizontal, according to the form or slope of the primitive bed on which they are deposited; we can have little difficulty in accounting for most of the phenomena now discovered in the lower secondary

* We may look for much interesting and useful information respecting the currents of the ocean, in a work now in course of publication, and written by the late Major Rennell. It is understood to apply, more particularly, to the currents of the Atlantic.

formations of our earth. For the upper secondary formations, and alluvial soils, we shall find a full and sufficient cause, when we come to the consideration of the Mosaic Deluge.

We must now resume the consideration of the primitive ocean from its first being “gather"ed together" until the Mosaic Deluge, a period amounting to about 1656 years; and which will be found fully sufficient to account for many of the geological phenomena exposed to our view. For when we apply to the utmost depths of secondary formations, the scale on which we are now considering the whole earth; and also when we think of the great extent of decomposition and re-formation incessantly proceeding in our own times, we shall feel satisfied that the indefinite periods assumed by the chaotic philosophy, are infinitely greater than the existing phenomena demand;* and we shall, consequently, have a more confirmed confidence in the truth of the Inspired Record.

* See page 33, and note, page 107.