[23] WORK OF STEAMER ALBATROSS. 627 



SW. winds prevailed. The sun was visible at intervals during the 10th, 

 giving us au excellent opportunity of locating the ship. Strong winds 

 to moderate KW. gale prevailed. On the 11th the sun was visible at 

 intervals until late in the afternoon, affording us ample opportunity of 

 locating our stations. 



Our first sounding on the 11th was taken at 3 a. m. in 2,135 fathoms, 

 and the next at 10. 38 a. m. in 73 fathoms, gray sand, black specks, and 

 stones, on Flemish Cap, latitude 46° 50' N., longitude 44° 35' W. The 

 beam-trawl was put over at this station, resulting in the capture of 

 several specimens of Cottida?, ophiurans, starfish, sea-anemones, sea- 

 urchins, corals, &c. It may be said that stones were a marked feature 

 in all the hauls during the day, the bottom seeming to be pretty thickly- 

 strewn with them, dropped there by ice. 



Four other hauls were made at stations 2,093 in 78 fathoms, 2,094 in 

 80 fathoms, 2,G95 in 105 fathoms, and 2,090 in 98 fathoms, the character 

 of the bottom and catch comparing closely with those of the first haul. 



A serious leak was discovered in the bottom of the port boiler, water 

 and steam escaping to such an extent that it was impossible to get near 

 enough to determine the nature of the damage. Fires were hauled and 

 the boiler blown down, when the leak was traced to a defective gasket 

 on a mud-hole plate. 



After the trawl was on board we steamed to the westward toward the 

 Grand Bank, carrying a line of soundings across to further develop the 

 connection between the two banks. The greatest depth was 477 fathoms. 

 Eeference to H. O. chart 21a will show Flemish Cap to be an extension 

 of the Grand Bank, to which it is connected by a narrow submarine ridge 

 having a depth of 500 fathoms or less, increasing rapidly on either side 

 to 1,000 fathoms. 



We were enveloped in a dense fog during the night of the 11th and 

 all of the 12th, which made it impossible to locate ourselves by observa- 

 tion, but, assuming the eastern extremity of the Grand Bank to be cor- 

 rectly laid down on the chart, we were able to plot our soundings with 

 some degree of accuracy. 



The normal direction of the current between the banks is about ESE., 

 but we experienced a strong set to the northward and eastward. A 

 fresh SW. breeze which prevailed at the time may account for the change 

 of direction. 



The trawl was lowered at 12.09 p. m. on the 12th in 2U0 fathoms, 

 green mud, black specks, tat. 47° 40' K, long. 47° 35' 30" W., and came 

 up at 1.15 p. m. with specimens of ray, halibut, a large number of 

 macrurus, flounders, sea-anemones, starfish, mollusks, &c. A rock was 

 brought up also, weighing about 2,000 pounds, and much time and pa- 

 tience was expended in getting it on board without sacrificing the net. 



Necessary repairs being completed, fires were started under the port 

 boiler. 



