94 DEEP-SEA SOUNDING. 



hoisted smokepipe. The wind moderated to a gentle 

 breeze during the day. At 9.05 a.m. commenced steam- 

 ing ahead with two boilers. At 9.50 a.m. connected on 

 the third boiler. At 11.45 ^-M- shortened and furled 

 sail, then sounded in 2167 fathoms, lat. 52° 10' S., long. 

 ']^'' 08' W. ; gray-brown mud, shells. At 12.45 p.m. 

 made sail, and continued on under steam and sail. At 

 5 p.m. shortened and furled sail, then sounded in 1200 

 fathoms, lat. 52° 16' S., long. 76° 02' W. ; gray sand. 

 At 5.40 P.M. made sail and continued on our course. At 

 7.15 P.M. the lookout at the nriasthead sighted land 

 ahead and one-half point off port bow. We had been 

 running under steam and sail, hoping to reach the Evan- 

 gelist Islands before dark. Fortunately the w^eather 

 was clear. The wind decreased to a gentle breeze and 

 the sea became comparatively smooth. At 9 p.m., when 

 Sugar Loaf, an island of the Evangelist group, bore 

 about north, a cast was taken in 25 fathoms. The 

 anchor was let go' at once, but we had drifted into 35 

 fathoms before it brought up. Veered to 90 fathoms of 

 chain. My reason for anchoring in the broad Pacific, 

 rather than lying to to await daylight, was because our 

 exact position was known, and therefore a course could 

 be laid for the entrance to the straits, and we could run 

 with confidence even should the weather be thick. The 

 wisdom of this course was soon proved, for during the 

 night it clouded up and a rain set in with thick mist. 



December 16. At 3 a.m. we were under way, 

 heading for the straits, the weather so thick we could 



