INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. D1 
above mentioned bearing N. 3? W., distant 14.5 miles. This was: the 
first of a series of soundings extending across Monterey Bay to the 
vicinity of Cypress Point. The maximum depth was 958 fathoms. 
We east the trawl at 7:40 a. m., April 3, off Point Carmel, and the work 
of sounding and dredging continued until 11:45 p. m., when, the 
weather becoming misty, we lay to till daylight, within sight of Piedras 
Blaneas light. 
Work was resumed at 5:10 on the morning of the 4th, and carried to 
the vicinity of San Simeon Bay, where we anchored at 12:35 p. m., the 
weather having become very boisterous. Seining and fishing parties 
were out during the afternoon, meeting with fair success. The wind was 
light from the northwest next morning, increasing toa stiff breeze in the 
afternoon, with a heavy swell. We were under way at 5:30, and, with 
the lead and beam trawl, extended our examination southward, defining 
the 100 and 200 fathom lines across the open bay of Ksteros to Point 
Buchon, and thence to Point San Luis. Soundings were continued 
throughout the night, a full moon making it practicable to locate sta- 
tions. A succession of heavy tide rips was encountered while at work 
off Esteros Bay, which were noticeable from the fact that there was 
but little wind or sea. 
We were off Point Arguello at midnight with a fresh breeze and 
heavy swell, making it difficult to carry on our work, but soundings 
were continued to the southward to the vicinity of Point Conception, 
and a series of dredgings made during the day in the deep waters of 
Santa Barbara Channel. The subsidence of wind and sea after pass- 
ing Point Conception and entering the channel was quite noticeable. 
Having finished work, we ran into Santa Barbara, and anchored at 
5:07 p.m. The naturalists were engaged in shore collecting until noon 
the next day, the 7th, when we got under way for Santa Rosa Island. 
The wind was light when we left the anchorage, but a fresh breeze 
was encountered in midchannel, which soon increased to a moderate 
gale with a heavy head sea, until we got under the lee of the land. 
We anchored in Becher Bay at 4:05 p. m., and the vessel and rigging 
were soon covered with fine sand, blown from the island. The wind 
was too high to admit of landing, but having moderated during the 
night the collectors were out at daylight, returning at 9:30, when we 
left our anchorage and steamed to the northward against fresh coast 
winds and a heavy swell, which reduced the speed about 2 knots an 
hour. Wepassed Point Conception at 3:15, and made Piedras Blaneas 
light at 1 a. m.on the 9th. The region between Point Sur and Lopez 
Point was passed at night going south, and the soundings intended 
io define the 200-fathom line ranged from 293 to 426 fathoms, though 
not more than 5 miles from shore. To define the line more accurately, 
we made another series of soundings from 2 to 3 miles from land, which 
still exceeded the depth. 
