278 REPORT OP COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



determined that the deceased had belonged to various nationalities, and 

 a skilled cranologist would undoubtedly be able to point out easily the 

 Dutchman, the Eussian, the i^orseman, &c. From the highest point of 

 the peninsula we had a splendid view of the south side of the bay. Gla- 

 cier upon glacier here extended, one beyond the other, as far as the eye 

 could see toward the ocean. The ice here really had the appearance of 

 being the predominating part, and the visible mountain peaks seemed 

 in fact to be nothing more than the boundary lines between the different 

 glaciers. In some i:)laces the ice had even been crowded over the mount- 

 ain peaks and formed peculiar masses suspended, as it were, in the air, 

 and it seemed that they must every moment fall down from the precipi- 

 tous mountain sides. In the east or at the head of the bay the first one 

 of the glaciers shoots out into the sea. No less than four glaciers here 

 gather themselves into a mighty mass of ice which constantly under the 

 influence of the summer warmth sends out into the sea icebergs of all 

 sizes and forms. One of these, which laid itself right athwart the bow 

 of our ship, gave us considerable trouble when we were to weigh anchor, 

 about eight o'clock in the evening. 



In order to investigate the temperature in this bay, constantly filled 

 with ice, we slowly and with all possible care api)roached the head of 

 the bay where the above-mentioned immense glacier shot out into the 

 sea. Here, surrounded on all sides by floating masses of ice, we sent 

 our lead and our thermometer to the bottom. The depth was 60 fathoms 

 and the temperature at the bottom 28.4° Fahr., the lowest tempei^ture we 

 had observed up to this time. A little fiu-ther out, where we were less en- 

 cumbered with ice and could better maneuver the ship, the trawl was 

 sent down and brought up ample specimens of the fauna of the bottom. 

 Not only various lower animal forms, but even fishes were found here 

 and seemed to thrive remarkably well in this ice-cold water. Particu- 

 larly did we in this haul bring on board numerous specimens of a sort 

 of small codfish, the so-called ice-roach (Ismort, GadusjjoJaris), of which 

 we heretofore had obtained only one specimen. 



We now steamed toward the outlet of the bay to the sea, in order 

 finally to make some investigations on the bank and on its declivity 

 west of Prince Charles' Foreland. The wind had entirely subsided and 

 the sea was smooth, but dense fog soon hid the land entirely out of sight. 

 On the following morning we were at our station. The weather was still 

 and calm as on the preceding day, and the fog had so far lifted that the 

 lower parts of Prince Charles' Foreland coidd be seen. We cast out the 

 lead here, finding 500 fathoms' depth, and hence we were already on the 

 slope of the bank. A little farther out the trawl was sent down at a 

 depth of 110 fathoms and was brought up covered all over with a species 

 of the elegant feather-star {Antedon), of which several beautiful and per- 

 fect specimens were secured and preserved. We were now nearly through 

 with our investigations in the open sea, and therefore directed our course 

 southward along Prince Charles' Foreland, in order to run into the Ice- 



