98 DEEP-SEA SOUNDING. 



in 761 fathoms, lat 35° 06' S., long. 52° 05' W., in a 

 bottom of green mud. The weather during the night 

 had been pecuHar. Wild-looking black clouds piled 

 up in the northwest, vivid lightnings flashed, and distant 

 thunder rolled continually. The wind also shifted sud- 

 denly from N.E. to N.W. Naturally we expected a 

 tempest and made preparation accordingly, but it did not 

 reach the ship, though for hours the weather maintained 

 a threatening attitude. 



In order to avoid the track made by the Challenger 

 some years before, the Enterprise was headed well to the 

 northward towards Nelson Shoal, on which the chart 

 showed 19 fathoms. At 7 p.m. we took the second cast 

 for the day in 11 26 fathoms, lat. 34° 49' S., long. 51° 

 23' W., the character of the bottom having changed to 

 dark mud. 



On the i2th, soon after daylight, we sounded in 1633 

 fathoms, lat. 34° 30' S., long. 50° 47' W. — dark mud ; 

 and again at 3.40 p.m. in 1589 fathoms, lat. 34° 04' S., 

 long. 49° 49' W., but no specimen of the bottom was re- 

 covered, as the cup failed to close tightly. 



On the 13th, at daylight, we sounded in 1775 fathoms, 

 lat. 33° 45' S., long. 48° 48' W. — dark mud ; and at 5 p.m. 

 in 1859 fathoms, lat. 33° 18' S., long. 47° 53' W.— gray 

 mud, broken shells; a marked change in the character of 

 the bottom. The wind had now freshened to a strong 

 breeze from the northward and eastward, but as I 

 wished to sound on Nelson Bank, we continued under 

 steam, making slow progress. 



