NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 125 



stance in which it was hooked up to the surface it soon broke, and was 

 finally abandoned. The following extracts from the log of the party em- 

 ployed will, however, be read with interest, as the last transaction connected 

 with this gigantic but unfortunate enterprise : 



On the 12th of June, Captain Kell succeeded in fishing up and buoying the 

 end, after recovering three-quarters of a mile of the cable. 



On the 14th operations were resumed, and three miles and a half of cable 

 recovered, when a fracture occurred. 



On the 23d the cable was hooked in ninety fathoms, and parted both ways, 

 the bight and a short piece of cable coming on board. 



25th. The cable was hooked again, but parted when within fifteen fathoms 

 of the surface, as it had done on several previous occasions. 



27th. Grapnelling was resumed in one hundred and fourteen fathoms; the 

 cable was hooked several times, and with one exception parted before reach- 

 ing the surface. Care was taken to buoy the spot the moment the cable 

 broke, and by grapnelling from a quarter to half a mile east of the buoy we 

 hoped to succeed in raising the bight, and did at last get it on board. On 

 testing the cable towards Ireland, it was found to be broken a very short dis- 

 tance from the vessel, three-quarters of a mile of cable being recovered 

 before it parted again at a weak place. 



28th. The wind and sea too high for working. A fresh consultation was 

 held as to the best mode of proceeding, and it was resolved to go further out 

 at once, hoping thereby to avoid the rocky ground and the bad state of the 

 cable. 



30th. The cable was hooked three times from the steamer, in one hundred 

 and thirty fathoms of water, but broke before reaching the surface. At last 

 a bight came on board, the cable at this spot being unusually good for about 

 thirty yards; the outer end was found to be broken about two hundred yards 

 off. About two miles of the inner end were recovered, when it parted again 

 at a weak place, where there was nothing but the gutta percha covered wire 

 left; this, however, was just able to bring the cable to the surface, when it 

 snapped before it could be secured by a stopper. Although mud is shown on 

 the charts, there are most unquestionably rocks also, as was too plainly indi- 

 cated by the state of the cable, rock weed and sea animalcules adhering to 

 and surrounding it in many places, showing that it had been suspended clear 

 of the bottom. The cable was invariably hauled in by hand to avoid unneces- 

 sary strain. The recovered cable varied in condition very much, and what 

 is most important is, that even those portions which came out of the black 

 mud were so perished in numerous patches that the outer covering parted on 

 board, during the process of hauling in, and but for the dexterity and cour- 

 age of the men in seizing hold of it beyond the break, Avhere the iron wires 

 stuck out like bunches of highly-sharpened needle points, we should not have 

 known so much of its condition. In a word, it was evidently sometimes em- 

 bedded in mud, sometimes on small stones, sometimes half embedded, and 

 sometimes wholly exposed over rocks, as was apparent from the condition of 

 the outer covering. The iron wires in many places often appeared sound, but, 

 on minute inspection, were found eaten away and rotten; the sewing was also 

 decayed. In some places the iron wires were coated with metallic copper, and 

 much eaten, they having most probably rested upon copper ore, for there are 

 veins of it in Trinity Bay. The gutta percha and copper wire are, however, 

 in as good condition as when laid down. 



The general ragged, precipitous, and rocky character of the surrounding 



11* 



