tlie Trondhjem Fiord. 343 



dredgino:, the latter seems to make the ground comparatively 

 unproductive. Between Munkholmcn and the western shore 

 of the bay there is deep water, 100-150 fathoms ; but at the 

 head of this part of the bay is an extensive saw-mill, and 

 hence, even at the greatest depths, a large amount of sawdust 

 was found, which is not favourable to animal life. The best 

 ground I met with from Trondlijem was out in the fiord 

 beyond jMunkholmen, and here in 150 fathoms was a rich 

 fauna. The weather was more or less stormy while we 

 were at Trondhjem, and we were only able to dredge one day 

 so far from land. 



Eodberg is about 15 miles from Trondhjem tovards the 

 mouth of the fiord, and the dredging-ground here is remark- 

 able in many ways and peculiarly typical of what Norwegian 

 fiords are. The fiord is at this point considerably contracted 

 in breadth, and through this narrow channel the whole tidal 

 waters must pass. This causes a very strong current ; but 

 the surface-current, curious to say, is always, both at ebb and 

 flood tide, in the same direction, outwards^ except that when 

 a strong wind comes into the fiord this would seem sometimes 

 to alter its course. I could get no explanation of the tidal 

 currents from the inhabitants ; but it is obvious that during 

 flood tide if the upper water is flowing outwards there must 

 be a very powerful under-current flowing inwards, and this 

 was clearly evidenced when "dredging, and made it most 

 difficult to hit the ground which it was desired to reach. Of 

 course the paying out of 500 or 600 fathoms of line takes a 

 considerable time, and what with current one way and wind 

 another, when the strain of dredging came upon the rope it 

 was often discovered that we were very far from where we 

 intended to be and were dragging the dredge in an opposite 

 direction to that desired. Thus much will suffice to show 

 that it is not an easy place to work. 



But if not easily worked it is none the less very rich ground. 

 From the causes I have mentioned it is extremely difficult to 

 know the exact depth to which the dredge has been down, and 

 the depths given in this report which follows must be received 

 with some amount of reserve. Charts are of little use, as 

 comparatively lew soundings have been taken. It is easy 

 enough on. the British coast to have charts with very nume- 

 rous soundings, since the depths are merely a iQw fathoms. 

 It is quite a different question on the vast Norwegian coasi, 

 where soundings in the fiords range from 100 to 600 fathoms. 

 Moreover it is not, of course, necessary for purposes of navi- 

 gation to accurately survey depths which are known to exist 

 and to be too great cither for danger or for anchorage. The 



26* 



