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CHAPTER I. 



TENERIFE, ST. THOMAS, BERMUDA. 



Circumstances of the Voyage. Tenerife. Cochineal Plantations. Excur- 

 sion up the Peak. Trade-wind Cloud. Zones of Vegetation. Sun- 

 set seen above the Clouds. Rabbits and other Animals on the Peak. 

 Peculiar Spider's Web. Catching Sharks off Sombrero Island, West 

 Indies. Appearance and Habits ofRemora. Pilot Fish. Island of 

 St. Thomas. Calcareous Seaweeds. Sea Urchins with Poisoned 

 Spines. Burrowing Spider. Nest of Termites. Pelicans edible. 

 Sand-box Tree. Defensive Colouring of Spines of Cacti. Beach 

 Conglomerate. Sea-beans. Bermuda. Calcareous Sand-rock. 

 Caves. Vegetation. Peat. Boatswain Birds. Land Nemertine. 

 Corals in Caves. 



Circumstances of the Voyage. — H.M.S. "Challenger," a 

 main-deck corvette, with auxiliary steam power, left Ports- 

 mouth on December 21st, 1872, for a voyage of three years 

 and a half round the world. The object of her cruise was to 

 investigate scientifically the physical conditions and natural 

 history of the deep sea all over the world. The ship was with 

 that aim specially fitted with sounding and dredging apparatus, 

 and carried a scientific staff, appointed by the Lords of the 

 Admiralty, and placed by them under the direction of Sir 

 Charles Wyville Thomson, F.R.S., etc. I accompanied the 

 expedition as one of the naturalists on this staff. 



In consequence of the special nature of the mission, the 

 sea voyages were tedious and protracted, the ship being con- 

 stantly stopped on its course to sound and dredge. Since the 

 results obtained by deep-sea dredging, even in most widely 

 distant localities, were very similar and somewhat monotonous, 

 all reference to them will be deferred to the end of this 

 narrative, where their natural-history aspects will be discussed 



