DESCRIPTION OF THE EXPEDITION, 55 
Our next objective was the supposed position of Owen’s bank to the north-west, on 
which we got a depth of 2100 fathoms. We continued the same course to lat. 4° 48! S, 
and long. 67° 22’ E., the latter almost halfway between the longitude of the Chagos and 
that of the eastern edge of the Saya de Malha bank, finding there a depth of 2173 
fathoms, bottom globigerina-ooze. We then set an almost direct course to Mauritius. The 
voyage was devoid of incident, though we sighted a brigantine one day, evidently an oil- 
boat bound for the Chagos, and the only vessel we saw during our six months’ cruise 
except in port. The weather was against us the whole time, but every day we sounded, 
each sounding serving to give additional evidence that there is no connecting-bank of 
shallower water between the Chagos and the Mauritius-Seychelles line. Occasionally 
the ship was swung for variation, and serial temperature observations were constantly 
taken from the poop down to 200 fathoms during soundings. We gave up further 
sounding and sailed the last part of the way, our coal-consumption having been rather 
heavier than we had expected on account of the strong winds experienced. Our progress 
by no means came up to expectation, but fortunately we had enough coal in reserve to 
carry us into Port Louis on August 5, the thirteenth day out from Diego Garcia, the 
first half of our journey and work accomplished. 
[Part IIl.—See page 111 onwards. | 
EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. 
PuaTeE 1. 
Map of the Indian Ocean, on the scale of 1 : 7,000,000, or 1 inch = 110°47 statute miles. 
PLATE 2, 
H.M.S. Sealark. 
PLATE 3. 
Sounding on H.M.S. Sealark. 
Fig. 1. Andrews and Wise taking a deep sounding. 
Fig. 2. Webber, Andrews, Baily, Wise, and Williams: a sounding-party with the Lucas Machine. 
PLATE 4, 
Dredging on H.M.S. Sealark. 
Fig. 1. Looking forward along the starboard side during a sounding. 
Fig. 2. Rectangular dredge coming in. 
Fig. 3. A big haul, trawl badly bent up. 
PLATE 5. 
Salomon Atoll. 
Fig. 1. View from Takamaka across lagoon. 
Fig. 2. Typical dry sandstone-land on Anglaise with coconuts. 
