CHAP, iv.] THE CRUISES OF THE ' PORCUPINE.' 1 95 



during the night, in early morning through the 

 narrowest part of the Strait between Messina and 

 Iteggio, past Charyhdis and the castled rock of Scylla, 

 and so out of the 'Earo' into the open sea to the 

 north of Sicily, studded with the Lipari Islands. 

 A temperature sounding taken near Stromboli, lat. 

 38 26' 30" N., long. 15 32' E., gave a depth of 730 

 fathoms, and a bottom temperature of 13*1 C., while 

 the temperature of the surface was 22*5 C. 



Under the rugged cone of Stromboli the dredgers 

 took another set of temperatures, with the result com- 

 mon to the whole volcanic neighbourhood of Sicily, 

 of a temperature slightly higher than that of the deep 

 water in the western basin of the Mediterranean, a 

 phenomenon of which it would take long and careful 

 observation to determine the cause ; and while doing 

 so they pondered on the cloud of smoke hanging over 

 the peak, so suggestive of the theatre of subterranean 

 change beneath, and admired the industry and enter- 

 prise of those who, rendered contemptuous by the 

 familiarity of ages, carried their vineyards " all over 

 the cone, save on two sides, looking north-west and 

 south-east, over one or other of which there is a con- 

 tinual discharge of dust and ashes." 



Their course was now laid straight for Cape de 

 Gat, which they passed on the 27th of September, 

 arriving at Gibraltar on the 28th. At Gibraltar, 

 Dr. Carpenter resumed his observations and experi- 

 ments on the currents of the Strait. These obser- 

 vations were continued until the 2nd of October, 

 when it became necessary for Captain Calver to re- 

 turn homewards. The coast of Portugal was repassed 

 in fine weather, the time at their disposal not allow- 



