HOMEWARD BOUND. I05 



-ahead and were soon in clear weather, so that we were 

 able to swing ship in the morning for compass deviations. 

 At I A.M. the N.E. trades set in as we supposed, 

 when the engines were stopped and sail made, but a dead 

 calm soon followed and at night there was a deluge of 

 rain. 



On the 15th a light breeze again sprung up from the 

 N.E., accompanied by rain-squalls which were particu- 

 larly heavy at night. We did not neglect, however, to 

 take a cast each day. Rainy disagreeable weather 

 continued until the 20th when the wind freshened to a 

 stiff breeze. At noon on the 2 2d a salute of twenty-one 

 guns was fired in honor of the day. This is a day of rest 

 on shore, but at sea the sailor has no holiday ; he makes 

 and shortens sail or shovels coal into furnaces, as occa- 

 sion may require. 



We were running a line where few soundings had 

 ever before been taken, and it would not do to neglect 

 our opportunities. Two casts were therefore taken this 

 day, one in 2593 fathoms, the other in 2728 fathoms. 



On the 23d two more casts were taken, in 2997 and 

 2714 fathoms ; on the 24th, in 2673 and 2560 fath- 

 oms ; and on the 25th, in 2425 and 2421 fathoms. 



The character of the bottom in each case was ooze. 



On the 26th we were so near Barbados that I added 

 steam to sail to insure reaching the anchorage by night. 

 At 2 P.M. we sighted land ahead. At 6 p.m. we took 

 the last cast in this line in 1204 fathoms, lat. 12° 38' 

 N., long. 58° 14' W. ; ooze, sand, and shells. At 7 p.m. 



