130 



THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



even in 1873, six years after the last hurricane, there were a few wrecks still on the 

 shore. 



It having been reported during the stay that a distressed British ship had anchored 

 in the sound between the islands of St. Thomas and St. John, the ship proceeded to her 

 assistance and towed her into harbour. She proved to be the " Varuna," an iron ship of 

 1300 tons, abandoned by the crew two months previously, about 350 miles N.N.E. 

 of Bermuda ; she was taken charge of by the mate and nine of the crew of the ship 

 " Roundtree," and navigated to St. Thomas, having only her foremast and foretopmast 



Fio. 49. —Boarding the wreck of the " Vavuna," off Cabrite Point, St. Thomas. 



standing. These men deserve great credit for bringing the " Varuna " to port, and it is 

 to be hoped that they got a handsome amount of salvage, although they distrusted the 

 motives of the Challenger in coming to their assistance, thinking they were to be deprived 

 of some of their hardly-earned recompense, and had to be reassured on that point 

 before the vessel was taken in tow. 



St. Thomas to Bermuda. 



On the 24th March the Challenger sailed for Bermuda ; the 25th was spent in 

 dredging off the northern edge of the Virgin Island bank, in 390 and 625 fathoms (see 

 Sheet 7), and a large number of animals were obtained, resembling, in most respects, 

 those taken in 450 fathoms off Sombrero. In addition to these there were three species 

 of Brachiopoda, which are referred to in the following resume, by Thomas Davidson, 

 Esq., F.R.S., of his Report on the Brachiopoda collected during the Expedition : l — 



1 Zool. Chall. Exp., part i., 1880. 



