CURRENTS OF THE SEA. 201 



(§ 401) — currents which appear to rise in mid ocean, run at 

 unequal rates, sometimes east, sometimes M-est, but which always 

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



403. Under currents — ParJcer's deep-sea sounding. — Lieutenant 

 J. C. Walsh, in the U. S. schooner " Taney," and Lieutenant- 

 S. P. Lee, in the U. S. brig " Dolphin," both, while they were 

 carrying on a system of observations in connection with the Wind 

 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 sufficient 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 barrega move off, against wind, and sea, 

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

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

 The men in the boat could not repress exclamations of surprise, 

 for it reall}^ appeared as if some monster of the deep had hold of 

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

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

 sea soundings, have also thrown much light upon the subject of 

 under currents. There is reason to believe that they exist in all, 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 

 what seamen call a swigging 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. Xight coming on, ho 

 liad to part the line (which he did simply by attempting to haul 

 it in) and return on board. Examination proved that the ocean 

 there, instead of being over ten miles in depth, was not over 

 three, and that the line was swept out by the force of one or 



* Lieutenant Wulsh. 



