I04 



NA TURE 



\yune r, 1876 



{Fig. 12). These lovely forms occurred in such numbers 

 in this sounding as almost entirely to mask the " red 

 clay." 



The most marked temperature phenomenon observed 

 in this part of the cruise was the presence of a surface 

 layer of water at a depth of 80 fathoms and a tempera- 

 ture above 77° F., extending northwards from the coast of* 

 New Guinea, about 20°, and westward as far as the 

 meridian of the Pelew Islands. The greater part of this 

 vast mass of hot water is moving with more or less of 

 rapidity to the westward. 



The travellers, weary and worn out by their assiduous 

 labours in the Tropics, had a welcome and a well- 

 deserved rest at Japan. The wonders of Yeddo and the 

 freshness of the climate soon restored them to vigour. 

 Short excursions were made and various towns and 

 villages were visited. A cruise was made after a time to 

 Kobe and along the south-west coast of Nipon, and on 

 the i6th of June the Challenger Xoil Yokohama, and ran 

 an easterly course between the parallels of 35° and 40° 

 north latitude, as far as the meridian of 155° east. She 

 then went nearly directly southwards and reached Hono- 

 lulu, one of the Sandwich Islands, on the 27th of July. 

 Between Japan and these latter islands twenty-four ob- 

 serving stations were satisfactorily established. At the 

 first station, just forty miles to the south-east of No-Sima 

 Lighthouse, they had a successful trawl, and among a mass 

 of starfish and other Echinoderms there was found a 

 giant hydroid polyp, apparently referable to the genus 

 Mottocaulus. The h>dranth was 9 inches across from tip 

 to tip of the expanded (non-retractile) tentacles, and the 

 hydrocaulus or stem was 7 feet 4 inches high, wiih a 

 diameter of half an inch. This wonderful form was found 

 once again nearer to Honolulu. The deepest sounding 

 got off Japan was 3,950 fathoms, with a red clay bottom. 

 The temperature observations gave a singular result ; the 

 surface temperature had fallen to 65° F., and the belt of 

 water above 50*^ F. was reduced in depth to considerably 

 less than 100 fathoms, while all the isotherms, at all 

 events to a depth of 400 fathoms, rose in proportion. 

 There seems to be little doubt, from a comparison of 

 the American temperature results with those of the 

 Challenger, that this sudden diminution of temperature is 

 due to a cold-surface flow from the sea of Okhotsk, and 

 possibly attaining its maximum at the season of the 

 melting of the snow over the vast region drained by the 

 Amoor and Siberian Rivers with a southern overflow. 



The soundings from Yokohama to Honolulu were very 

 uniform as to depth. The average of twenty-two being 

 2,858 fathoms, and the bottom was pretty gent rally red 

 clay. In some cases the trawl came up half filled with 

 large lumps of pumioe, which seemed to have drifted 

 about till they became water-logged. The red clay was 

 also found full of concretions, mainly consisting ot per- 

 oxide of manganese, round, oval, or mammillated, and 

 very irregular, varying in size from a grain of mustard 

 teed to a large potato. On breaking these they are found 

 to consist of concentric layers, having a radiating fibrous 

 arrangement, and usually starting from a nucleus consist- 

 ing of some foreign body, such as a piece of pumice, a 

 shark's tooth, or such like. 



A delightful fortnight was spent on the Sandwich 

 Islands ; numerous excursions were undertaken. In the 

 Government Library at Honolulu there was a splendid 

 collection of scientific books, which enabled many points 

 in the natural history of some of the species found to be 

 verified. On the nth of August Hawaii was visited, and 

 the crater of Kilauea was explored. On the 19th Hawaii 

 was left, and the course of the Challenger was due south 

 to Tahiti. Many soundings and dredgings were made on 

 ,the way, the average depth being 2,800 fathoms, with a 

 bottom of red clay, and many things of great interest to 

 the biologist were discovered. Tahiti was reached early 

 in September, and amid the charms of this island, by 



some better known as Otaheite, the time sped quickly 

 until October ; every opportunity was made use of to get 

 acquainted with the productions, climate, geological 

 structure, and inhabitants of the island. Leaving it on 

 the 2nd a section was made across to the island of Juan 

 Fernandez, a distance of about 4,000 miles, with an 

 average depth of 2,160 fathoms. Juan Fernandez was 

 reached on the 13th of November, and two days were 

 spent explorinsr every corner of it, and large collections 

 were made. The ship anchored in the harbour of Valpa- 

 raiso on the 19th. Three weeks were here spent to recruit, 

 and then the Challenger, leaving on the loth of December, 

 started on a cruise round Cape Horn to the Falklands. 



1876 



The Falkland Islands were reached about the loth of 

 January, and some three weeks being spent in explora- 

 tions among the islands on the South American Coast, 

 Monte Video was visited on the 15th of February, when, 

 after a week's sojourn, homewards was the cry, and on 

 the 23rd the Challenger left for her last section across 

 the Atlantic in the direction of Ascension Island and 

 St. Vincent. At the Cape de Verd Islands she once more 

 was in familiar waters and had encircled the world. The 

 former was reached on the 27th of March, and a week 

 was spent at George Town, when stores were completed 

 and a few supernumeraries taken on board. On the 18th 

 of April St. Vincent was reached, and the final start for 

 home made on the 26th ; her arrival at Spithead on the 

 24tli of May is now matter of history. We are glad to 

 be able to report that all of both staffs are in the enjoy- 

 ment of perfect health. 



This sketch of the Challengers cruise has, from the very 

 necessity of the case, been an imperfect one ; time and 

 space both failed, or we would have gladly told of visits 

 to Heard Island, the strange breeding- place of the giant 

 albatross, of fights with sea- elephants, and of many of 

 the new and rare animals found in the depths of 

 the three oceans. We would here also like to have 

 subjoined a sketch of the chief scientific results of the 

 voyage ; but perhaps it were better left undone, for we know 

 that a " Narrrative of the Cruise of the Challenger" 

 from the able pen of the head of her civilian statf, is 

 already in an advanced stage of preparation. From the 

 glimpses we have got of it, from the beauty of the illus- 

 trations (some of which adorn this sketch) that will 

 appear in it, we feel sure that it will be one of the most 

 deeply interesting as well as fascinating books published. 

 It will be not a mere narration of events, but contain, as 

 well, descriptions and figures of all the new forms, form- 

 ing a most worthy contribution to Physical Geography, 

 to Ethnology, and to Zoology and Botany. 



In conclusion we append a tabular abstract of the voyage 

 of the Challens^er : — 



Total of First Section of Voyage 



19367 



