40 TRY FOK BEEP SEA SOUNDIIN'GS. 



Oil June 14th^ when in lat. 40° 45' S.^ and 

 long. 123° 23' E.^ the occurrence of a calm during" 

 the forenoon^ althoug'h accomi3anied by a consider- 

 able swell^ induced Captain Stanley to make a third 

 attempt to obtain deep sea soundings. He had 

 been much interested in the success of experiments 

 of this kind^ in which the g-rand desideratum has 

 always been to produce positive 2Jroof of having 

 reached hottojti by bringing" up a portion of its 

 substance^ hitherto unattempted on account of the 

 g-reat leng-th of time required for the experiment^ 

 and the disproportionate strength of the line to the 

 enormous weight employed^ should any sudden jerk 

 ensue from the heave of the sea. Captain Stanley 

 had at length succeeded in contriving a very in- 

 genious apparatus b}^ which^ upon striking sound- 

 ings^ the eight 32 lbs. shot employed would be 

 immediately detached, leaving no greater weight to 

 be hauled up than the iron fi*amework to which the 

 shot was sluno*. and a small bell-lead with the usual 

 '^ arming'" of tallow^ to which portions of the bottom 

 would adhere. The line was similar to that em- 

 ployed on January 12th^ as then carefully coiled 

 away in casks^ each of which held from 800 to 

 1000 fathoms^ and ran out remarkably well^ with- 

 out any tendency to '^ kink" or get foul 3 but^ un- 

 fortunately^ after 3500 fathoms (or fort}^ yards less 

 than four statute miles) had gone out^ the line 

 parted^ from some flaAv^ it is supposed^ as a piece of 

 the same bore a far heavier weight when tested sub- 



