HOMEWARD BOUND. 6$ 



Although we were not directed to sound before 

 reaching Wellington, New Zealand, it was thought best 

 to take a few casts on the passage to Australia, to test 

 the wire, which had remained on the reel for two years, 

 and also the working of the whole apparatus ; accord- 

 ingly on the 24th of August a cast was taken in 3066 

 fathoms, lat. 19° 08' S., long. 105° 20' E. The shot 

 did not detach itself upon reaching bottom, and while 

 working it up and down the wire parted and 2826 fath- 

 oms were lost. 



On the 27th another cast was taken in"3i82 fathoms, 

 lat. 23° 01' S., long. 101° 20' E. When the wire was 

 nearly reeled in it parted with a jerk. Two enormous 

 sharks had been swimming about the ship while this^ 

 cast was being taken, and one of them was supposed tO' 

 have snapped at the specimen-cup as it was nearing the- 

 surface — possibly swallowing it — as happened once be- 

 fore on our outward voyage. A large steel hook was 

 immediately baited with a piece of salt pork, and soon 

 one of the two was caught and hoisted half-way out of 

 the water, but unfortunately it succeeded in getting 

 away, much to our disappointment, as we had hoped to 

 recover the lost specimen-cup. This was not an absurd 

 expectation, for it is well known that sharks are not 

 fastidious in regard to their diet. I myself have seen 

 in the stomach of a shark caught off Mobile in 1862 two 

 meat-cans and an old shoe. 



On the 31st of August we sounded in 2586 fathoms-,, 

 lat. 29° 20' S., long. 101° 55' E., and again the wire 



