18 THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA. [CHAP. I. 
they were accepted by naturalists generally without 
question. 
The history of discovery bearing upon the extent 
and distribution of the deep-sea fauna will be dis- 
cussed in a future chapter. It will suffice at present 
to mention in order the few data which gradually pre- 
pared the minds of naturalists to distrust the hypo- 
thesis of a zero of animal life at a limited depth, and 
led to the recent special investigations. In the year 
1819 Sir John Ross published the official account of 
his voyage of discovery during the year 1818 in 
Baffin’s Bay.' At page 178 he says, “ In the meantime 
I was employed on board in sounding and in trying 
the current, and the temperature of the water. It 
being perfectly calm and smooth, I had an excellent 
opportunity of detecting these important objects. 
Soundings were obtained correctly in 1,000 fathoms, 
consisting of soft mud, in which there were worms, 
and, entangled on the sounding-line, at the depth 
of 800 fathoms, was found a beautiful Caput Meduse 
(Fig. 1). These were carefully preserved, and will be 
found described in the appendix.” This was in lat. 
73 37 N., long. 77° 25’ W., on the lst-of Sept: aor: 
and it is, so far as I am aware, the first recorded 
instance of living animals having been brought 
up from any depth approaching 1,000 fathoms. 
General Sir Edward Sabine, who was a member of 
Sir John Ross’s expedition, has kindly furnished Dr. 
1 A Voyage of Discovery made under the Orders of the Admiralty 
in His Majesty’s ships ‘ Isabella’ and ‘ Alexander,’ for the purpose 
of exploring Baffin’s Bay, and inquiring into the Possibility of a 
North-west Passage. By John Ross, K.G., Captain Royal Navy. 
London, 1819. 
