FROM THE SEFAEATION OF THE SHIPS. 77 



creatures, with transparent cucumber-sliaped bodies, 

 long rosy-red tentacles, and their eight rows of glitter- 

 ing, many-coloured leaf-like processes, with which they 

 move slowly forward, cannot be preserved in their original 

 beauty. 



But in other respects also we had not been altogether 

 inactive. The soundings — this difficult and time-con- 

 suming work — had here on the ice boundary shown an 

 important deepening of the bottom of the sea ; whilst on 

 the 14th we had touched ground at 930 fathoms, on the 

 15th we could no longer do so with 1230 fathoms. Here 

 the unsettled state of the weather prevented us from 

 finishing this work with satisfaction to ourselves. 



The mean temperature of these four days was 35° Fahr. 

 It did not rise above 40°, and once, early on the IGth, sank 

 to below 32°. The water on the surface was of much 

 the same temperature ; it oscillated between 34° and 331°. 

 The colour of the water was mostly clear blue. 



In the exchange of such observations and merry and 

 free conversation, it was now midnight. At this time we 

 were obliged to stop, as the axle-bed was heated and 

 required cooling. A rising fog and a coming breeze 

 decided us ; so we gave up steam entirely, and let the 

 two ships separate once more and proceed under 

 sail. 



Full of joy and confident hope for the future, we shook 

 hands at parting, and the gentlemen from the Hansa 

 returned to their ship. In sisterly harmony the two ves- 

 sels sailed along, and many a joyous greeting and joke 

 resounded from the one to the other. 



Who on this evening would have thought that this was 

 the last time we should be together? that we should 



