CURRENTS OF THE SEA. 193 



the Pacific (§ 401) — currents whicli appear to rise in mid ocean, run 

 at imequal rates, sometimes east, sometimes west, but which always 

 lose themselves where they rise, viz., in mid ocean. 



403. Under Currents. — Lieutenant J. C. Walsh, in the U. S. 

 Under cuRKENTs— schooucr " Taucy," and Lieutenant S. P. Lee, in the 

 bmindi^ns/^^^^* U. S. brig " Dolphiu," both, while they v^ere carry- 

 ing on a system of observations in connection mth the ^\^ind and 

 Current Charts, had their attention directed to the subject of 

 submarine currents. They made some interesting experiments 

 upon the subject. A block of wood was loaded to sinking, and, by 

 means of a fishing-line or a bit of twine, let down to the depth of 

 one hundred or five hundred fathoms, at the will of the experi- 

 menter. A small barrel as a float, just sufiicient to keep the block 

 from sinking farther, was then tied to the line, and the whole let 

 go from the boat. To use their own expressions, " It was wonder- 

 ful, indeed, to see this harrega move off, against wind, and sea, 

 and surface current, at the rate of over one knot an horn', as was 

 generally the case, and on one occasion as much as IJ knots. The 

 men in the boat could not repress exclamations of sm-prise, for it 

 really appeared as if some monster of the deep had hold of the 

 weight below, and was walking off with it."* Both ofiicers and 

 men were amazed at the sight. The experiments in deep-sea 

 soundings have also thrown much light upon the subject of imder 

 currents. There is reason to believe that they exist in aU, or 

 almost all parts of the deep sea, for never in any instance yet has 

 the deep-sea line ceased to run out, even after the plummet had 

 reached the bottom. If the line be held fast in the boat, it in- 

 variably parts, showing, when two or three miles of it are out, that 

 the under currents are sweeping against the bight of it with v.'hat 

 seamen caU a simgging force, that no sounding twine has yet 

 proved strong enough to withstand. Lieutenant J. P. Parker, of 

 the United States frigate " Congress," attempted, in 1852, a deep- 

 sea sounding off the coast of South America. He was engaged 

 with the experiment eight or nine hours, during which time a line 

 nearly ten miles long was payed out. Night coming on, he had to 

 part the line (which he did simply by attempting to haul it in) and 

 retm^n on board. Examination proved that the ocean there, instead 

 of being over ten m^iles in depth, was not over three, and that the 

 line was swept out by the force of one or more mider currents. But 

 in what direction these cm^rents were running is not known. 



* Lieutenant Walsh. 



