338 POPULAR LECTURES AND ADDRESSES. 



the friction of a cord wound round a groove in the 

 circumference, and kept suitably tightened by a 

 weight. My position at the time was considerably 

 nearer the north coast of Spain than a point where 

 the chart shows a depth of 2,600 fathoms, the 

 greatest depth previously marked on the charts of the 

 Bay of Biscay. When from 2,000 fathoms to 2,500 

 fathoms were running off the wheel, I began to have 

 some misgivings as to the accuracy of my estima- 

 tions of weights and application of resistance to the 

 sounding-wheel. But, after a minute or two more, 

 during which I was feeling more and more anxious, 

 the wheel suddenly stopped revolving as I had ex- 

 pected it to do a good deal sooner. The impression 

 on the men engaged was that something had broken ; 

 and nobody on board except myself had, I believe, 

 the slightest faith that the bottom had been reached. 

 The wire was then hauled up by four or five men 

 pulling on an endless rope round a groove on one 

 side of the wheel's circumference. After about 1 ,000 

 fathoms of wire had been got in, the wheel began 

 to show signs of distress. I then perceived, for the 

 first time (and I felt much ashamed that I had not 



