THE BASIN OF THE ATLANTIC. 261 



direction of Captain Ringgold, but were considered unworthy of a 

 remark — in which opinion I coincide ; for, at considerable depths, 

 one is entirely dependent upon the times of the hundred fathoms. 

 As a general thing, I suppose a hundred thousand fathoms would 

 all be eventually taken from the reel by the drift of the ship. On 

 one of these occasions, a breeze sprang up on the quarter, shooting 

 the ship ahead in such a manner as to render the cast utterly 

 worthless. 



750. " From our experience in the Indian Ocean and Coral Sea, 

 I am inclined to believe that there is no depth from which speci- 

 mens of the bottom may not be obtained. It will ever be a 

 source of regret that, owing to circumstances beyond my control, 

 we were unsuccessful in recovering the line and specimen after 

 reaching bottom with 7040 fathoms, in the Indian Ocean. Such 

 opportunities are rare in that locality ; yet, owing to the current 

 of sixty miles, it will be a difficult matter to determine the abso- 

 lute depth. That current was not as superficial as one might at 

 first suppose, for it was during the latter part of the operation that 

 the boat experienced its efiect, and it would seem that, had the 

 current been superficial, the line would have given indication by 

 tending ahead, whereas it ran right down. Moreover, that current 

 was local, which adds to the probabiHty of its depth. 



751. " The cast made in the Coral Sea was satisfactory in ev- 

 ery respect. The arming-rod came up with its lower extremity 

 completely coated with what appeared to be a calcareous clay of 

 such adhesive and tenacious character as to preserve the marks of 

 the shot made in slipping oft". In fact, we had fallen upon one of 

 those beds which evidently present the characteristic formations 

 of England." 



752. This specimen from the Coral Sea, lat. 13° south, long. 

 162° east, was brought up by Brooke's sounding-rod from the 

 reported depth of 2150 fathoms. 



753. Professor Bailey, to whom the specimen was sent for 

 microscopic examination, replied: "You may be sure I was 

 not backward in taking a look at the specimens you sent me, 

 which, from their locality, promised to be so interesting. The 

 sounding from 2150 fathoms, although small in quantity, is not 



