26G EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



the trawl was sent to the bottom again at a depth of 180 fathouis, but 

 the net was here torn to pieces by the sharp stones, so that we secured 

 only what had accidentally been caught in the meshes, chiefly hydroids 

 and polyzoa. The temperature both of the atmosphere and of the water 

 had meanwhile sunk to so considerable an extent that it was evident 

 that we had again come mthin the boundaries of the Polar current. We 

 therefore regarded it as our duty to proceed a little further to the east, 

 in order to investigate the physical and biological conditions in this 

 stretch of the ocean, w^hich for the most part of the year is filled witli 

 ice. We cast the lead at short intervals, finding a gradually ascending- 

 slope until we reached a depth of only 21 fathoms. At the surface the 

 water was perfectly ice-cold, that is, 31.04° Fahr., the lowest tempera- 

 ture we had observed at the surface. It being presumable that the 

 bottom here was stony, the dredge was sent down instead of the trawl, 

 and it brought up from the bottom a considerable amount of coarse sand 

 mixed with stone. Between and on these stones, and entirely covering 

 the tangles, were found enormous masses of hydroids, many of which 

 were very beautiful. Whole forests of these must cover the bottom in 

 this locality. We did not find it suitable to our present purpose to make 

 investigations further to the east, and so we turned our j)row toward 

 Beeren Island, which appeared in sight on the same day about noon. 

 First rose above the horizon the peculiarly formed Mount Misery, and 

 after that a long, low stretch of land on the north side of the mountain. 

 It seemed to be endless, and afterwards proved to be the flat and undi- 

 versified northernmost portion of the island. A stiflf breeze from the 

 north had meanwhile arisen, which increased as we approached the land, 

 and it soon made the waves so tumultuous that we were obliged to give 

 up all thoughts of landing at this time. Off Mount Misery the wind 

 was so violent that the sea was whipped into mist, and the ship careened 

 fearfully. We hugged the shore so closely that we were in sight of 

 South Harbor and the Eussian hut, in order, if i)ossible, to find out 

 whether the mail left here by us for the Dutch expedition had been 

 received. By the aid of oiu* glasses we soon spied the signal left by us, 

 and the flag had been removed, which we of course regarded as a sign 

 that the expedition had been there. A letter just received here, proba- 

 bly brought by some fisherman, assures us that everything had been 

 found in good order. The letter is from the chief of the expedition. 



Having lam quiet for some time off the south side of the island await- 

 ing if possible a favorable change in the weather, all sails were hoisted 

 at ten o'clock in the evening, the engine was set to work at its utmost 

 capacity, and we turned the stem of the ship southward toward if orway. 

 So long as we still were in the lee of Beeren Island we had compara- 

 tively smooth water and a moderate breeze ; but as we got further out 

 to sea the wind increased and the waves waxed higher, and finally there 

 blew a perfect gale from the north, the waves dashed high, and we sped 

 forward at the rate of sixty-five miles per watch. It was the first time 



