the Trondhjem Fiord. 343 
dredging, the latter seems to make the ground comparatively 
unproductive. Between Munkholmen and the western shore 
of the bay there is deep water, 100-150 fathoms; but at the 
head of this part of the bay is an extensive saw-mill, and 
hence, even at the greatest depths, a large amount of sawdust 
was found, which is not favourable to animal life. The best 
ground I met with from Trondhjem was out in the fiord 
beyond Munkholmen, and here in 150 fathoms was a rich 
fauna. The weather was more or less stormy while we 
were at Trondhjem, and we were only able to dredge one day 
so far from land. 
Rédberg is about 15 miles from Trondhjem towards the 
mouth of the fiord, and the dredging-ground here is remark- 
able in many ways and peculiarly typical of what Norwegian 
fiords are. The fiord is at this point considerably contracted 
in breadth, and throuch this narrow channel the whole tidal 
waters must pass. ‘This causes a very strong current; but 
the surface-current, curious to say, is always, both at ebb and 
flood tide, in the same direction, owéwards, except that when 
a strong wind comes into the fiord this would seem sometimes 
to alter its course. I could get no explanation of the tidal 
currents from the inhabitants; but it is obvious that during 
flood tide if the upper water is flowing outwards there must 
be a very powerful under-current flowing inwards, and _ this 
was clearly evidenced when dredging, and made it most 
difficult to hit the ground which it was desired to reach. Of 
course the paying out of 500 or 600 fathoms of line takes a 
considerable time, and what with current one way and wind 
another, when the strain of dredging came upon the rope it 
was often discovered that we were very far from where we 
intended to be and were dragging the dredge in an opposite 
direction to that desired. ‘Thus much will suffice to show 
that it is not an easy place to work. 
But if not easily worked it is none the less very rich ground. 
From the causes I have mentioned it is extremely difficult to 
know the exact depth to which the dredge has been down, and 
the depths given in this report which follows must be received 
with some amount of reserve. Charts are of little use, as 
comparatively few soundings have been taken. It is easy 
enough on the British coast to have charts with very uume- 
rous soundings, since the depths are merely a few fathoms. 
It is quite a different question on the vast Norwegian coast, 
where soundings in the fiords range from 100 to 600 fathoms. 
Moreover it is not, of course, necessary for purposes of navi- 
gation to accurately survey depths which are known to exist 
and to be too great either for danger or for anchorage. ‘lhe 
. 26* 
