248 TKAVEL, ADVENTUEE, AND SPOKT. 



had were slight indeed. We had 5000 fathoms 

 of wire rope, intended to be used for the buoys if 

 required, and it was resolved that so long as it 

 lasted, and indeed until everything available for the 

 purpose was exhausted, there must be no thought 

 of returning to England. 



Going back to where the depth was a little under 

 2000 fathoms, we commenced operations by lower- 

 ing a grapnel with 2500 fathoms of the wire rope 

 attached. This rope was in pieces of 100 fathoms, 

 joined together by iron shackles and swivels. The 

 grapnel is a species of anchor with five flukes, 

 weighing about 3 cwt., and there being attached at 

 least 500 fathoms of rope over and above the depth 

 of the sea, its whole length trails along the bottom 

 until it meets with some obstruction, which the 

 hooks grapple; and when those extra 500 fathoms 

 are hauled in, and the strain becomes much increased 

 on its leaving the bottom, no doubt arises in the mind 

 of any scientific man that the Cable is securely grap- 

 pled. Slowly we drifted to the spot where the Cable 

 lay, and at last the vessel turned slowly till her head 

 was brought to wind, showing that the grapnel had 

 met some great obstruction in its passage along the 

 bottom of the ocean. We immediately commenced 

 hauling in the rope at the rate of one mile per hour. 

 When the grapnel had left the bottom, the strain on 

 the dynamometer increased so much each fathom that 

 was drawn in, that no doubt existed that we had 



