44 DEEP-SEA SOUNDING. 



squally, and a neavy squall struck the vesse. while the 

 cast was being taken. We were now approaching the 

 low Maldivh Islands, and a course was steered for the 

 equatorial channel. The equator was crossed before 

 noon, and at 4 p.m. another cast was taken in 2322 fath- 

 oms, lat. 0° 09' 35" N., long. 69° 41' 06" E, ; very light 

 brown ooze. The winds were variable from the W., 

 W.S.W., and S.VV. No observation at noon. 



On the 15th sounded in 2305 fathoms, lat. 0° 14' 2d' 

 N., long. 70° 44' 45'' E. gray ooze, sand, and shells. The 

 wind came out from the southward, and the weather 

 cleared, the sun coming out bright and warm, drying the 

 sails and decks, which had been soaked by the past rains. 

 The wind later in the day was variable, from N. W., S.W., 

 and S.E., becoming almost calm. Steam was raised at 

 8 P.M., as we were quite near to the Maldivhs. Current 

 0.63 knot an hour, setting N. "j-^ E. 



On the 1 6th, soon after daylight, we sighted some of 

 the small low islands of the Swadive Atoll, and during 

 the day were steaming through the equatorial channel. 

 At noon we were just south of the principal island of 

 this atoll (Wahdu Island). 



Four casts were taken, viz.: at 4.10 a.m. in 1977 

 fathoms, lat. 0° 04' 29" N., long. 72° 30' 42" E. — gray 

 ooze, sand, and shells; at 9 a.m. in 1243 fathoms, lat. 0° 

 03' 52" N., long, "i^y" od od' E. — dark gray sand and 

 shells; at 12 noon in 1027 fathoms, lat. 0° 03' 52" N., 

 long. ']'^° 17' 18" E. — gray sand; and at 6 p.m. in 1329 

 fathoms, lat. 0° 03' 52" N., long. 73° 44' 30" E. — gray 



