220 THE ATLANTIC. [chap. iv. 



its western edge. As usual, the deeper isotherms showed a 

 tendency to rise slightly in the shallower water. 



On the 10th the morning was misty and rainy, with the 

 wind northerly, shifting to the southward toward noon. We 

 sounded in 2200 fathoms, globigerina ooze, with a bottom tem- 

 perature of +0°-4: C. The trawl was put over, but on being re- 

 covered it was found to have been down on its back ; and it 

 contained only a few fragments of one or two sponges, crusta- 

 ceans, and echinoderms. 



We ran on during the 11th and 12th, and on the 13th we 

 sounded on globigerina ooze at a depth of 2025 fathoms with a 

 bottom temperature of 1°'2 C. The trawl again came up empty 

 and reversed, some fragments adhering to the net showing that 

 there was a varied fauna, and that much interesting material 

 must have been got from a successful haul. 



The position of the sounding on the 14:th was lat. 85° 45' S., 

 long. 18° 3' W. ; the depth was 1915 fathoms, the bottom globi- 

 gerina ooze, and the bottom temperature 1°'5 C. ; the distance 

 from Tristan d'Acunha was 310 miles. The trawl came up 

 again foul, with only some fragments to indicate the presence 

 of an abundant fauna. As we had already crossed our outward 

 track in 1873, and as the temperatures at depths uninfluenced 

 by the changes of the seasons seemed to verify in every way 

 our former work, we thought it unnecessary to go farther to 

 the eastward on the direct line ; and we took a north-easterly 

 course toward a point in the meridian of the Island of Ascen- 

 sion, now distant from us about 1685 miles. 



We ran on next day, and on the 16th the position of the ship 

 was lat. 32° 24' S., long. 15° 5' W., 1470 miles almost due south 

 of Ascension, and 280 miles north by west of Tristan d'Acunha. 

 We sounded in 1425 fathoms on globigerina ooze with a bot- 

 tom temperature of 2°-3 C. The trawl had failed so frequently 

 of late that we determined to send down instead a large light 

 dredge which we had had made at Hong-Kong for the shallow- 



