

NARRATIVE OF THE CRUISE. 390 



On the 14th, at 3 a.m., the ship wore and stood in towards the brash ice, and at 6 a.m. 

 sails were furled, steam got up, and a sounding, dredging, and serial temperatures were taken 

 in 1675 fathoms, blue mud, Station 153 (see Sheet 23). Pack ice and numerous bergs were 

 in sight to the southeastward, the position of the ship being lat. 65° 42' S., long. 79° 49' E. 



The serial temperature observations on this date were very successful, as some of the 

 brash ice could be collected, and the thermometers cooled before immersion. Each 

 thermometer when immersed showed a temperature of 30° "2, both on the maximum and 

 minimum sides. At 50, 100, and 200 fathoms they came up registering 30° - 2 on the 

 maximum side, and 29° on the minimum side, showing that to the depth of 1200 feet the 

 water was at a uniform temperature of 29°. The thermometers sent down to the depth 

 of 300 and 500 fathoms, and to the bottom, gave different results, for at 300 fathoms the 

 maximum index registered a temperature of 32° and the minimum 29° ; at 500 fathoms the 

 maximum index registered 32°"8 and the minimum 29°, and at the bottom the maximum 

 was 33° and the minimum 28°"8. These results show that below the depth of 200 

 fathoms the temperature of the water rose gradually to 32°"8 at about 500 fathoms, but, 

 unfortunately, it was impossible to tell what happened below that depth, as the thermometer 

 came up showing the same result as at 500 fathoms. It was a matter of much regret 

 that the bottom temperature could not be ascertained with certainty, it cannot, however, 

 be less than 2 8° '8 nor more than 33°. It is remarkable that the water retains a tempera- 

 ture of 29° to 200 fathoms, or a depth slightly less than that of the icebergs, and that 

 the temperature of the surface water was 33°, or the same as that of the warm underlying 

 strata a few miles northward of the edge of the brash ice and icebergs, which would point 

 to the conclusion that the cold upper layer was only local, and that it did not sink to the 

 bottom, the greater specific gravity, due to its lower temperature, being more than 

 counterbalanced by the admixture of the snow water from the bergs. 



At 3.30 p.m., after heaving in the dredge, sail was made, the ship standing to the 

 westward along the edge of the pack ice. At 6 p.m. there were forty-seven bergs in sight, 

 and the pack extended from south to east, with apparently open sea to the south westward. 

 At 8 p.m. more pack ice was seen extending from W.N.W. to S.E., so at 10.30 p.m. the 

 ship hauled to the northward under easy sail. The weather during the day was cloudy 

 (occasionally misty), with passing snow showers, the wind light and variable, the 

 barometer steady at 28'765 inches, mean temperature of the air 32° - 5, the range of vision 

 limited to about four miles. 



On the 15th the wind was light and variable all day with a smooth sea and a clear 

 horizon. Barometer steady at 28"827 inches, mean temperature of air 29°, of sea surface 

 30° - 7. Position at noon, lat. 65° 59^ S., long. 78° 24' E. Pack ice and numerous icebergs 

 ween throughout the day. The icebergs seen on this and the previous day were mostly 

 tabular, from 100 to 200 feet in height. 



During the calm weather numerous Cape Pigeons were observed on the tabular bergs, 



