PREFACE. x i 



and Dr. M'Intosh, for information courteously 

 supplied. 



The whole of the illustrations in the hook with 

 the exception of the vignettes of Eaeroe scenery for 

 which 1 am indebted to the accomplished pencil of 

 Madame Holten are by my friend Mr. J. J. Wild. 

 I need scarcely thank him for the admirable way in 

 which he has accomplished his task, for every figure 

 was with him a labour of love, and I almost envy 

 him the gratification he must feel in the result. 

 To Mr. J. D. Cooper I owe my sincere thanks for 

 the singularly faithful and artistic rendering of 

 Mr. Wild's beautiful drawings on the wood-blocks. 



On the return of the ' Porcupine' from her last 

 cruise, so much interest was felt in the bearings of 

 the new discoveries upon important biological geo 

 logical and physical problems, that a representation 

 was made to Government by the Council of the 

 Royal Society, urging the despatch of an expedition 

 to traverse the great ocean basins, and take an out 

 line survey of the vast new field of research the 

 bottom of the sea. 



Kear-Admiral Eichards, C.B., E.R.S., the Hydro- 

 grapher to the Navy, warmly supported the pro 

 posal, and while I am writing a noble ship is 

 lying at Sheerness equipped for scientific research 

 under his wise and liberal directions, as no ship 

 of any nation was ever equipped before. 



