[41] WORK OF STEAMER ALBATROSS. 43 



were takeu iu the first haul, besides three species of starfish, small 

 ascidians, several species of anthozoa, one very large shrimp aud uu- 

 merous smaller ones, a variety of shells, and several benthodytes, the 

 largest we have ever taken. A remarkable feature of the last haul was 

 the bringing up of several bricks with a quantity of mortar. Conjec- 

 ture was rife as to the origin of our peculiar catch, the classical mind 

 suggesting that we had been raking over the chimneys of famed Atlan- 

 tis ; whereupon the practical man destroyed all romance by the matter- 

 of-fact statement that it was in all probability the discarded try-works 

 of some homeward-bound whaler. 



At 4.40 a. m. on the 7th we sounded in 2,510 fathoms, latitude 37'^ 

 48' 30" K, longitude 69° 43' 30" W., and at 6.42 put the trawl over with 

 usual attachments of wing-nets and mud-bag, veering to 3,800 fathoms 

 on the dredge-rope. While the trawl was down a boat was lowered and a 

 large dead octopus secured from the surface. The trawl was landed on 

 deck at 1.20 p. m., but had no bottom specimens ; there were, however, 

 several shrimp, one squid, and nine Cyclothone lusca in the trawl, be- 

 sides many small crustaceans in the wing- nets. The current of the Gulf 

 Stream was running between 3 and 4 knots per hour, which, even with 

 every precaution, prevented our landing and retaining the trawl on the 

 bottom. While heaving in, the dredge-rope stranded 1,996 fathoms 

 from the end, and we were obliged to run that amount overboard with 

 a sinker attached, and repair the damage by putting in a new strand. 

 This occupied us until 6 p. m., when we took a set of serial tempera- 

 tures aud water specimens to 1,000 fathoms. A comparison of this 

 series with others taken on opposite sides of the Gulf Stream will show 

 conclusively the depths to which its waters penetrate the ocean bed. 

 The taking of serial temperatures in a 4-knot current is by no means a 

 simple operation, and wholly impracticable with our ordinary methods. 

 It is our custom to use the dredge-rope with a hundred-pound sinker 

 attached for taking serial temperatures and water specimens, but the 

 vibration of the rope was so great in the present instance that it played 

 havoc with the thermometer readings, and obliged us to resort to the 

 sounding-wire. Even then we could use only two thermometers at a 

 time, which made it a slow and tedious operation. 



Marine life was more plentiful during the day than usual. A school 

 of finback whales was seen during the forenoon, and occasionally a 

 sea-bird. A school of blackfish passed us about dusk, and a small gray 

 bat, which had been hovering about the ship for a day or two, was cap- 

 tured and kei)t alive. Alter dark the submarine electric light was 

 brought into requisition, and by its aid a shark 7 feet 3 inches in length 

 was captured, and five young about 6 inches in length were taken from 

 it. A sucker-fish [Eclieneis remora) was also cai)tured. It clung rena- 

 ciously to the shark until landed on deck, when it was forcibly removed. 

 The larger fish was carefully examined for parasites, without, however, 

 meeting with success. 



