xviii DEPARTMENT OF THE NATAL SERVICE 



(c) For use on hoard the fishing steamer No. 33: 



A number of drift nets with different widths of mesh, with cable and buoys. A 

 number of cod lines and other implements for capture of cod and other fish, as aiso a 

 small shore seine. 



At the commencement of May, 1915, I made a reconnoitering tour to Prince 

 Edward island, together with my friend. Prof. Arthur Willey, of McGill Univer- 

 sity, Montreal, who, to my great satisfaction, had agreed to take part in the expedition. 

 On our arrival there, on the first of May, the sea all around the island was still full of 

 ice as far as one could see, and it was stated that the pack ice lay north of the island 

 and round the Magdalen islands. This state of things lasted all through the week, 

 until the 8th of May. We learned that the ice had set southward over toward Prince 

 Edward island from the northern parts of the gulf of St. Lawrence. Northumberland 

 Ftrait and the Pictou coast were also blocked by ice, even the steamer connection hav- 

 ing been stopped. The C.G.S. Princess twice attempted to force a passage through the 

 ice in order to take Professor Willey and myself out on a preliminary survey cruise. 

 -At last she reached Charlotteto^vn, and we started on the 10th of May for the Magdalen 

 islands. We succeeded in taking some few stations, which gave some interesting 

 material for the study of temperature conditions and the incipient development of the 

 plankton, but the cruise was unfortunately interrupted, as the commander of the 

 vessel, Mr. Wakeham, was taken very seriously ill, and had to be brought home. 



By the middle of May a sudden change took place in the state of the ice. About 

 the 20th of that month, the Halifax newspapers stated that the ice had been driven by 

 northwesterly winds towards the Gut of Canso, and about the 25th, the remainder had 

 either melted, or been carried out of the gvilf. This state of things was generally 

 regarded as unusual. Both on land and at sea the general opinion was that the ice 

 should have heen gone six weeks before. As it was, the delay produced its effect upon 

 the fishing industry ; the herring fishery round the Magdalen island was a failure, and 

 the herrings taken came unusually late. 



After this preliminary survey of the ground, a definite plan was drawn up for the 

 work, the Canadian Government placing at our disposal the two cruisers Princess and 

 Acadia, and the fishing steamer No. 33. The Princess, now under the command of 

 Capt. J. Chalifour, vice Cormnander Wakeham deceased, was to make two cruises in 

 the gulf of St. Lawrence : the first in June and the second in August. 



The Acadia, under Commander F. Andersen, was to make two cruises, between 

 the south coast of Newfoundland and Halifax, as nearly as possible coincident with 

 the cruises of the Princess. 



The No. 33, under Capt. Thor Iversen, was to carry out fishing experiments in 

 the gulf of St. Lawrence, and, in addition, to make occasional hydrographical observa- 

 tions and collections of plankton. At Souris, P.E.I., a temporary laboratory was estab- 

 lished, where the material from the cruises could be collected and subjected to a 

 preliminary examination. 



The scientific work on board the two cruisers was carried out by myself, with 

 the assistance of Prof. Ai-thur Willey, Dr. A. G.. Huntsman (University of Toronto), 

 Curator of the Atlantic Biological Station of Canada, and, for a shorter period, of 

 Mr. Nightingale of the United States Bureau of Fisheries. 



All members of the expedition worked at the laboratory at Souris between cruises, 

 and Mr. Paul Bjerkan, with Prof. James W. Mavor, now of Union College, Schenectady, 

 U.S.A., were occupied there throughout. 



The first voyage was made by the C.G.S. Acadia, which cruised from the 

 29th of May to the 4th of Oune from Halifax over the continental edge towards New- 

 foundland and the entrance to the gulf of St. Lawrence. In the course of this cruise, 

 tlnrty-six stations were taken {Acadia stations 1-36). 



From the 9th to the 15th of June, the Princess made her first cruise in the gulf, 

 in the course of which twenty-three stations were taken (Princess stations 3-26). 



