1902.] BRYANT — DRIFT CASKS IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 157 



of the casks, and I have, therefore, availed myself of the present 

 opportunity to present some details relating to the present status of 

 the experiment. Tlie directions to masters of vessels having in 

 charge the distribution embodied the main ideas of the originator 

 of the plan and recommended ''that special efforts be made to 

 carry a number of casks north of Bering Strait and thence to the 

 westward, where a number of them should be set adrift at or near 

 Herald Island. Then proceeding northward along the eastern edge 

 of the ice pack until the highest safe latitude is obtained — say lat. 



75° N., long. 170° W. from Greenwich At this point final 



sets of casks are to be set adrift to demonstrate, if possible, the 

 currents to the eastward or northward and eastward, if any there 

 prevail." In examining the reports sent in, I find that these in- 

 structions have been carried out in a praiseworthy manner. Thus 

 I find, by plotting the positions indicated, that on August 19 and 

 21, 1 90 1, the U. S. Revenue Cutter Bear, under Capt. Francis 

 Tuttle, placed fifteen casks adrift at three different points on the 

 floe ice north and northeast of Herald Island, making a northing 

 in one instance of 72° 18'' near the 175th meridian of west longi- 

 tude. 



In September, 1899, Capt. D. T. Tilton, of the S. S. Alexander, 

 belonging to Messrs. Liebes, placed four casks adrift south and east 

 of Herald Island, and in the same month Capt. Sherman, of the 

 Pacific Steam Whaling Co.'s steamer Thrasher, discharged one 

 cask W. N. W. of Point Barrow, while in September of last year 

 (1901) the same company's vessel, the Narwhal, succeeded in 

 launching three casks in three different locations well north and 

 west of Herald Island. The highest northing yet reported as a 

 delivery of the casks was attained by the vessel just mentioned on 

 September 7, 1901, when 73° N. lat. was reached. 



Thus we find that twenty-two casks have been successfully 

 launched at different periods on the great ice pack north and 

 northeast of Herald Island. 



With a view of testing the probable existence of a northeastern 

 or North American drift through the Parry Archipelago, and along 

 the route followed by McClure fifty years ago in accomplishing the 

 Northwest Passage, the whaling captains were requested to distribute 

 some casks in the region of Banks Land, near the western approach 

 to the Northwest Passage route. This plan coincided with the 

 movements of the whaling fleet, the members of which frequently 

 extend their voyages for considerable distances east of their winter 



