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of the Island of Kiusiu. In summer, as already explained, its breadth is greatly extended, and a branch of it then proceeds up the west coast of Kiusiu through the Corean straits and into the Japan Sea. From the south point of the Goto islands to Nomosaki, however, I have always found this branch to be under tidal influence. From the south of Kiusiu the main current rushes through Van Diemen Straits, and the channels between the various islands which lie to the south of them with great velocity, and, continuing its course in a north-easterly direction, it passes the east coast of Kiusiu and the south of Sikok. I have examined the logs of mail steamers for seventy voyages with the object of gaining an idea of the approximate velocity of this current under various circumstances, and I have myself made twenty voyages from which to make deductions; but I find that even with the same direction and strength of wind, and at the same season of the year, the velocity is most irregular and frequently differs to a very considerable extent. On three occasions only during these voyages its velocity exceeded 70 miles in the twenty-four hours; once in the month of January with a strong S. W. wind when it flowed 77 miles; once in June with a fresh easterly breeze 73 miles, and once in July with light variable airs 76 miles. With fine settled weather a ship steering a straight course from Satanomisaki to Irosaki may expect to average about 40 miles a day. The greatest strength will probably be found off the Boungo Channel and the south coast of Sikok. Here if the wind blows at all from the eastward a very heavy sea quickly gets up. This indeed may be expected, as while the Kuro-siwo is forcing itself to the north-east, the wind is opposing its progress, and the tides are rushing up or down the Boungo Channel at right angles to the current, and a most confused and dangerous sea is the result. This part of the coast is the dreal of Japanese seamen.
From Siwo Misaki the current continues on its course towards the chain of islands south of the Gulf of Yedo, but it has generally less velocity than off Sikok. A ship
