16 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [14] 



with peculiar interest tbe results of tiiis line of souudings, as it will go 

 far towards solving the problem of a much-needed supply of fresh water. 

 The relation this island bears to the mainland has been heretofore un- 

 known, the general impression being that it was an isolated volcanic 

 peak, having no connection with the watershed of the contiguous coast 

 of Venezuela. In this case water would not be found by sinking arte- 

 sian wells. On the other hand, if connected with the mainland by a pla- 

 teau or ueck of land having a moderat'C depth of water over it, wells 

 might be sunk with a fair probability of success. An efibrt was made 

 recently by the colonial government to ascertain the depth of the chan- 

 nel, but without success. The vessel sent on that duty, being supplied 

 only with the ordinary deep sea lead and line, failed to reach bottom. 

 When the governor learned that we intended running this line of sound- 

 ings he requested me to furnish him with a list of the depths found, 

 which 1 have done, forwarding it from Kingston, Jamaica. 



During the afternoon we made a haul of the dredge in 122 fathoms, 

 and of the trawl in 208 fathoms, in the channel above-mentioned, with 

 but moderate success. A few specimens were, however, secured from 

 both hauls. The small amount of life on the bottom of the Caribbean 

 compared with that off tiie New England coast has been a constant 

 surprise to us during the cruise. We extended the line of soundings 

 across the channel to a i)oint five miles from the coast; then stood to 

 the northward and westward, sounding at short intervals, until at 11.30 

 p. m. we made the light on the east end of Oruba, recently erected by 

 the phosphate company that is working the rich deposits on that island. 

 The greatest de[)th found on this line was 455 fathoms. 



At 1 a. m. the following day a course was laid NNW. (mag.) for A.lta 

 Vela, a small island on the south coast of Santo Domingo. Sound- 

 ings were taken at intervals of 10', 20', and 25'; and at 9.10 a. m. we 

 sounded in latitude loO 17' 45" N., longitude 70° 01' 00", AV., with a 

 depth of 1,701 lathoms, the bottom being composed of foraminiferous 

 ooze and coarse coral sand. .The wind and sea being moderate, and in- 

 dications favorable, we put the small beam-trawl over, veering to 2,800 

 fathoms on the dredge rope. It was landed on deck again at 2.25 p. m. 

 with a few sponges, shrimp, small fish, &c., indicating anything but 

 rich ground. Soundings were continued at varying intervals, the wind 

 and sea gradually increasing until the morning of the 21st, when we 

 passed a few miles to the westward of Alta Vela and laid a course NW. 

 ^ W. (mag.) for (Jape Jacmel, sounding at intervals of about 10'. 



The deepest water found between Curasao and Santo Domingo was 

 2,094 fathoms, in latitude 13° 40' 20" N., longitude 70^ 10' 45" W. The 

 bottom was brown ooze without a trace of foraminifera. The average 

 depth was about 2,300 fathoms until within a short distance of the land, 

 when it shoaled rapidly to 302 fathoms four miles SW.| W. of Alta Vela; 

 the next sounding, 10' distant NW. by W. ^ W., revealing 2,434 fatli- 



