38 



Near the supposed position of this bank we sounded at short distances for some days with more 

 than a thousand fathoms of line ; but in no case was there any indication of this bank. The last 

 effort to sound in 1000 fathoms north of its vicinity will not easily be forgotten ; it was obtained 

 under many and great difficulties. The sea had risen to a fearful height in a very short time, which 

 threatened to roll all the boats from the davits. My steam-cutter Torch did start. There was 

 scarcely any standing on the deck. All the thirty-five men on the starboard side, while hauling 

 the line in, lay down like dominoes, or rather were thrown down on the line. 



Lat. 43 30' N. ; long. 38 5' W. Sounded again with heavy weights in 2000 fathoms, bringing 

 up Foraminiferse in various stages of growth ; and what gave interest and value to this sounding, 

 was the fact that icebergs had reached these eastern limits, proved by the presence of a piece of 

 stone (Feldtspar) three-quarters of an inch in size, deposited undoubtedly there by a berg, and 

 brought up in the valve. 



Lat. 43 43' N. ; long. 37 47' W. On the 5th of September a sounding was taken at 1930 

 fathoms ; the rod came up with its spring broken, but retaining sufficient of the bottom to show 

 that it was down. Foraininiferse, the usual deep-sea characteristic, appeared, mostly young and 

 small, with transparent cells ; about 6 per cent, of all these were free from fracture, all the re- 

 mainder fragments. 



Before leaving the vicinity of this supposed bank, the temperatures here obtained with new and 

 delicate thermometers at 2000 fathoms was 42 rather a higher temperature than expected. The 

 air was 68 ; the sea-surface 69 , while at 100 fathoms it had fallen 10, and at 400 20 ! At 

 1000 fathoms it was 43, after which it fell but 1 in 1000 fathoms.* 



Great quantities of Salpse and Medusae came up entangled with the line, doubtless caught in its 

 quick descent of 500 fathoms in 3| minutes. t Their orange-coloured stomachs, situated in the 

 centre of the transparent gelatinous sacs, came in quite perfect on the line. 



Lat. 43 39' N. ; long. 36 46' W. On the 6th September we gave our departing and final cast 

 of the lead in this vicinity, getting 2060 fathoms ; the rod bringing up Foraminiferae, small stones, 

 and some few Diatoms. 



We were now leaving the regions of the Globigerinse and Lime formations, changing them for 

 those of Silicious deposit. Nearly all in the last sounding were Diatoms, with but few Globigerinae. 

 A thermometer was sent down to 2000 fathoms and proved the last temperature at the same depth, 

 showing 42'5. 



To complete a series of 100-fathom temperatures, advantage was taken of a fine day with smooth 

 water both indispensable requisites in sounding for temperatures, as the smallest jerk or vibration 

 moves the indices and the reading is destroyed, the results being only deceptive. The thermometer 

 went down to 1500 fathoms, and in no instance did it show less than 42.5, fully proving the high 

 temperatures obtained on former occasions, and this would prove the entire absence of an under 

 Polar current here ; and further, that the waters of the Gulf Stream here united with other waters, 

 decreasing thereby its strong easterly set, which was here found on many occasions to be variable. 

 The temperature of the surface was 71. 



From the authority of a few scattered observations, it has been asserted that the water of the 

 ocean, at a depth of 12 feet, was of a higher temperature than at the surface. This was proved to 



Showing a great uniformity of temperature after the first 500 fathoms. 

 f Or equal 1 4 feet in 1 second, which equals 1 mile in 6 minutes. 



