NARRATIVE OF THE CRUISE. 3 



and three turns of the rope round the drum), it was possible by leading it abaft through 

 two blocks, and then forward again as shown in the plan, to take three additional turns 

 round the drum on the other side of the ship, and thus prevent it slipping. 



On the after part of the upper deck, just before the mizenmast, four small circular 

 skylights were fitted, two on each side, to give the necessary light to the naturalists' 

 workroom and the chartroom, on the main deck. Before the mizenmast, level with the 

 hammock nettings, was the usual pilotage bridge, on which stood the standard compass, 

 from which all observations for variation taken on board were made, and under this 

 bridge, on the port side, a screen was built for the thermometers used in ascertaining the 

 temperature of the air. A few feet abaft the mizenmast, in the centre of the ship, 

 was a stand for the Fox dipping needle, from which all observations for inclination taken 

 on board were made. Projecting outwards on each side over the quarter were two small 

 sounding platforms for the ordinary sounding work of a surveying vessel, and over these 

 platforms were small davits, with snatch blocks, to facilitate hauling in the ordinary 

 sounding lines, log lines, &c. 



Deck House for use of Naturalists. — Abaft the screw well was situated a deck 

 house, 7 feet fore and aft, by 8 feet athwart ships, built after the departure of the ship 

 from England, in order to give increased accommodation to the naturalists. The work 

 connected with the preservation of birds, mammals, fish, deep-sea deposits, and the 

 examination of tow-net gatherings, was usually conducted in this house. 



A door opened on the port side, and sash-windows extended the whole width of the 

 house at a height of four feet from the deck. A dresser, 2 feet wide, ran across the 

 house abaft, at the height of the lower part of the sash-windows, and was furnished all 

 round with racks for small bottles. A Hartnack microscope was always at hand 

 on this dresser, and in rough weather was fixed to it by a clamp. Three large holes 

 were cut in the dresser for holding glass globes, into which the contents of the surface 

 nets were usually emptied, and as the tow-nets were hauled in abaft, just at the door 

 of the house, this arrangement was very convenient. Underneath this dresser was 

 another, about two feet above the deck, fitted completely with racks for large bottles. 

 Underneath this again were several boxes with zinc cases, in which fish and other 

 animals were stored ; here also was a locker, in which all the apparatus and materials 

 connected with the skinning and preservation of birds were kept. In the fore part of 

 the house was a table, which could be raised or lowered at will, and on which the bird- 

 skinning and other operations were conducted. 



On the starboard side of the house was a small table, one foot square, with one stout 

 leg firmly fixed into the deck of the ship so as to render it steady. On this a binocular 

 microscope was permanently clamped, which was found to be very convenient for working 

 with low magnifying powers, and for ascertaining the general character of the surface 



