304 



NA TURE 



[Feb. 19, 1874 



evitable, total dissolution of the Society. And now 

 that the reformers have its affairs in their own 

 hands, it is to be hoped that it will begin a new life 

 of efficiency, and, remembering that it owes the cause of 

 its existence to the labours of scientific men, give its most 

 efficient aid to those scientific researches in which it has 

 become an important clement of investigation, as well as 

 to those of a more technical nature which have given photo- 

 graphy so great a commercial and industrial value. And 

 on the other hand we bespeak for it the aid and counte- 

 nance of all scientific men whose researches are in any 

 way dependent on photography, and give it, in its refor- 

 mation, our best wishes for that complete success and 

 efficiency which will make it as useful to Science as 

 honourable to itself and its members. 



NOTES FROM THE ''CHALLENGER" 



THE following contributions to the literature of the 

 Challenger Expedition appear in the Cape Monthly. 

 The first contribution consists of a few notes from Com- 

 mander Maclear, written on the day of the Challenger's 

 departure from Simon's Bay, and will give our readers an 

 idea of the work still before the Expedition : — 



On leaving Simon's Bay, if the weather permits, 

 dredgirgs and temperature soundings will be taken on 

 the Agulhas bank; then sail made for iVIarion Island. 

 This and the Crozetts will be examined ; the last may be 

 occupied by the French as an observing station for the 

 Transit of Venus. Then for Kerguelen Island. It is 

 not likely that the weather will allow a regular series of 

 soundings to be taken as hitherto, but some doubtless 

 will be taken on the p.issage. 



Kerguelen s, or Island of Desolation, will be a fertile 

 field of exoloration in every department of science, and 

 as it is to be one of the stations for watching the Transit 

 of Venus, special information will be collected for the use 

 of the astronomers who will go there towards the close of 

 next [this] year. The longitude of the island will be deter- 

 mined by chronometrical measurement from the Cape, 

 and again to Melbourne, and with the great number of 

 chronometers (16) that the Challenger h^s on board, the 

 longitude should be determined very accurately. 



After leaving Kerguelen, Macdonald Island will be 

 examined, and search made for a harbour there ; and 

 then a stretch wUl be made to the Ice Barrier. The in- 

 vestigations ia the neighbtnirhood of the ice are very im- 

 portant, but great care will have to be taken not to get 

 entangled in the ice. Wiih steam power, and the clear 

 weather there is likely to be in February, little danger 

 need be apprehended. If the season should be fine, some 

 considerable time will be occupied in this region, but if 

 not, after a s^.on stay, sail wUl be made for Melbourne, 

 which will probdbly be reached in the end of March. 

 After a few days there, to obtain the rates of the chrono- 

 meters, we go on to -Sydney to refit and, if necessary, 

 dock. This terminates the second stage of our voyage. 



Leaving Sydney about the middle of May 1874, and 

 carrying a Ime of soundings to New Zealand, we next 

 examine the islands about the Coral Sea and Torres 

 Straits in August 1874 : New Caledonia, New Guinea, 

 Arofura Sea, Kaepang in Timor, Java Sea, Macassar, 

 Celebes, and reach Manilla in November. We next look 

 up the doubtful islands of the Western Pacific ; visit 

 New Ireland, the Solomon Islands, and Pellew, and 

 Japan will be reached in March 1S75. From Japan we 

 cross to Vancouver's, and then to Valparaiso, exHinining 

 Eastern Island and Sulay group in our course. Leaving 

 Valparaiso in the end of 1875, we go through the Straits 

 of Magellan to Falkland Isles, Rio de Janeiro, Ascension, 

 and England in the middle of 1876. 



The other communication, of a different order, comes 

 from a gallant Blue Jacket, who speaks for himself and 



the Challengers and their labours somewhat irreverently 

 thus :— 



From Jack Skylight to his old Shipmate 



A Letter without much Rliyine and with a little Reason 



We've crossed the Line a many times in craft both great and 



small. 

 And of ihem 'ere fish that's thereabouts I've caught 'em nearly 



all. 

 It aint becos I wants to boast I says as " it is so," 

 But 'cos I think that wot is wot I'm just the bloke to know. 

 I'll first acquaint you, topmate, with the nature of my dooty. 

 And show you what I've lamed since last we met, my be-iuty. 1 

 I jined this craft last winter, got rated on her ledger 

 A swabber, jobber, scrubber, a sounder, and a druger. 

 I know, old .ship, when this you see you'll say I'm llyin' hi, 

 But it's true as Polly-Arris is above us in the sky. 

 At sea we sounds — no matter. Bill, if every blessed thread 

 Aloft or low of canvas before the wind is spread, 

 In it comes ! And down there goes, I've really quite forgotten 

 How many fithoms (half-inch), Bdl, until we touches bottom. 

 .Sometimes the timmey-nojgie that holds the weights don't G 

 And then a foJ* arises as is horrible to see. 

 We flies in all directions, like cats on houses sportin', 

 The luff cries out, the donkey shies, and makes a dreadful 



snortin' — 

 It aint a regular ass, Bill, but one of them inventions 

 They puts aboard a man-of-war with various intentions. 

 To wit, it nicks the complement, and gives the honest Jacks 

 More time to study politics and read their .Sunday tracks. 

 The donkey does the hauling in, which is no doubt a blessin', 

 For it it had to come by hand, oh ! lord, 'twould be distressin'. 



We've a many curious ratins, a lot of long shore tallies 

 For scientifick genelmen, their servants, and their valleys. 

 Don't yer see these learned bosses have come to search the 



ocean, 

 But for what, old son, 'twixt you and I, I'm blow'd if I've a 



notion. 

 I've 'eard 'em talk of Artie drift and walleys under water, 

 And specs next week to find they've nab'd old Davy and his 



darter. 

 Of course you know they've got to find the link atween the 



species, 

 Some say as there's a coon aboard as liks it all to pieces ; 

 I cannot tell, for well you know it aint the likes o' me 

 That's got a chance like swells abaft the curus sight to see. 

 The scientifick swells, old chap, are mad on mud, and great 

 On getting things like wh3t we used in Chiney for our bait. 

 Vou know them squids and stuff we tried for catching them 



ther>^ conger? 

 Well, it's the same; but then the name is many a fathom longer. 

 They seems to me to make a deal and show a great surprise 

 At things we've seen, Bill, many times, when first they meet 



their eyes. 

 Perhaps its 'cos the thing's alive their fancies somewhat tickle, 

 They only having seen them home screwed up in brine or pickle. 



I've (old yer how we sounded, now I'll tell yer how we diaig?, 



And if my life's a ans^el's I'll leave yer for to judge. 



We hangs rhe dreije at the yard-arm to a sort o' kmd of buffer — 



At explcrnation, Bill, yer no I always was a duffer — 



It aint a bad doge neither ; for when its pulled it streches 



And gives a kind of surge when the dredge at summat ketches ; 



It's like a koucertiui. Bill, but where the wind is squoze, 



From end to end a set of stays like Inde rubber goes : 



A block i? tacked at bottom and through it runs the line — 



Which is the weriy bane of life to this old pal of thine ; 



I've burnt my hands, I've spiled my close, 1 torn my underneath, 



I bark'd my shins and nik'd my back, and loosened all my 



teeth — 

 All through that blessed line. Bill, which, trilling as it seems, 

 Is wuss nor all the nightmares- that ever hunts in dreams. 

 The care that is required for to keep that line from breakin' 

 If your stationed near the donkey is a awful undertakin' ; 

 The thing flies thro' your fingers, and if stationed near the drum. 

 Its safe to nab you somehow by a finger or a thumb ; 

 Then there's the pipe and otiiers. Bill, that raise a shout, and 



call 



