THE LAYING OF THE ATLANTIC CABLE. 253 



So tedious was the process of hauling in, that it 

 took thirteen hours to bring the grapnel on board. It 

 was found covered with a soft pasty substance of a 

 pale yellow colour, and several gentlemen having 

 obtained some of the precious substance, it was in- 

 vestigated with a microscope; and Dr "Ward found 

 shells, in one of which there was living matter, thus 

 disproving the assertion that life, could not exist at 

 such a depth. At 12.30 P.M. on Friday, August llth, 

 a day long to be remembered, the grapnel was lowered 

 for the last time, and at 3.50 P.M., the strain on the 

 dynamometer indicating that we had once more 

 grappled the Cable, we commenced hauling in, and 

 at 7 P.M. had succeeded in recovering about 800 

 fathoms. I was then standing near the capstan 

 watching the rope being drawn in, with an average 

 strain of from 80 to 90 cwt. A snatch-block had 

 been fixed to the deck and to a spar above, through 

 which the rope had to pass in order to bring it on a 

 level with the capstan ; no doubt a clumsy appliance, 

 but, unfortunately, the only one available ; and, in- 

 deed, everything brought into service during the 

 grappling was but an expedient, for it had never 

 been thought possible or probable to perform such 

 an operation at so great a depth, and no prepara- 

 tions had therefore been made. Well, the last 

 shackle of the manilla rope was passing through 

 the block with heavy jerks when the rope itself 

 snapped at the splice. " Hold on, boys ! " shouted 



