210 THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA. [CHAP. v. 
soft mud. I mention these soundings thus particu- 
larly because they are the first authentic instances 
of any quantity of the bottom having been brought 
up from such depths. The clamms were used with 
strong whale line, made of the best hemp, 24 inches 
in circumference. The weight recommended by Sir 
John Ross for the sounding in the North 
Sea is fifty pounds. 
One of the earliest and certainly not the 
worst of these miniature dredges is a simple 
modification of the common deep-sea lead, 
the ‘cup-lead’ (Fig. 37). A rod of iron 
passes through the lead, and ends a few 
inches beneath it in a conical iron cup. 
A thick bend-leather washer slides freely 
on the rod between the end of the lead and 
the cup. ‘The theory of this instrument is, 
that as the lead runs down, the current of 
water keeps up the washer, leaving the 
mouth of the cup free. On reaching the 
ground, the weight of the lead drives the 
cup into the mud or sand, and the lead falls 
=; to one side. When the lead is hauled up, 
Wf), « sample of the bottom goes into the cup, 
and is retained there by the washer, which 
is pressed down upon the top of the cup 
Fre. ste during its upward journey by the reversal 
of the current. The ‘cup-lead’ is very 
useful for moderate depths. Twice out of three 
times it brings up a sample, but the cup is too open 
and the means of closing it are too crudé, and the 
third time everything is washed out and the cup 
comes up perfectly clean. Deep soundings take too 
