DEEP SEA SOUNDINGS. 67 



steeply by the constant action of the current sweep- 

 ing round the North-west Cape. 



We continued steering E. and by N. ^ N., and at 

 sunset, 14 miles from our noon position, the water 

 had deepened to 145 fathoms, bottom a fine white 

 sand and powdered shells. Before we were 50 

 miles from our noon position, we could find no 

 bottom with 200 fathoms. 



January 12. — We made but slow progress during 

 the night, and felt delay the more tedious from the 

 eager anxiety with which we desired sight of the 

 land where our duties were to begin in earnest. 

 We were not successful with our soundings till 

 6 P.M., when we had the same kind of bottom as 

 before described, with 117 fathoms : 15 miles E. by 

 N. ^ N. from our noon position, which was 220 

 miles W. by S. from Roebuck Bay : 30 miles in the 

 same direction from our noon position, we shoaled 

 our water to 85 fathoms, the ground retaining the 

 same distinctive character. We had the wind from 

 S.W. to S.E. during the afternoon, but at 6 p.m. 

 it chopped round to N.N.W., when, too, for the 

 first time, we perceived lightning to the S.E. — 

 Barometer 29.92 ; thermometer 85. 



January 13. — The preceding indications of the 

 coming squall, which had given us full time for 

 preparation, were realized about one o'clock this 

 morning, when it reached us, though only mode- 

 rately, from S.E. It was preceded by the rise and 



F 2 



