Crtdse of 1903 from Valentia to the Faeroe Banks mid Orkney 23 



presaging a ' duster ' from the cast, way was made for the next station, \^ m 

 which was reached at I a.m. on August 9, The situation was on the 

 Faeroe Bank, hat. 60° -11' N., Long. 8° 50' W., depth 75 fathoms, and 

 while using the water-bottle one of the crew amused himself by 

 catching two very large cod with hand-line. The weather still 

 stormy and sea very bad, with low barometer, it was thought better to 

 run into Thorshaven, especially as a lew ' odds and ends ' were required. 

 This port was reached at 10 p.m. on August 10, leaving the Bank at 

 I a.m. the same day. 



Leaving Thorshaven on August 12 with a Hue and calm day, '1.7' "" 

 which prevented rapid progress, on the 13th, at 8 a.m. the Munk Rocks 

 were passed, and at 4 p.m. the position hat. (!1° 1' N., hong. 7° 42' W., 

 gave a depth by sounding of 475 fathoms, the depth being surprising, 

 as much shallower water was expected here. However, it proved not 

 to he a hole, hut to continue for at least (> miles in a northerly direc- 

 tion, and may have extended farther, but was not explored. The 

 bottom temperatures showed it to be in the cold area (- 05 : at Kill 

 fathoms, 0'0° at 420, 2'4° at 300, <Wi° at 200, 8'1° at 100, 10'7° at 

 surface ; air temperature ll - 0°). 



On August 14, in hat. 60° 30' N., Long, 7° 17' W., the depth ^'""" 

 517 fathoms, and still in the cold area (bottom temperature — 0*8 ; at 

 400 fathoms h0° ; MOO, 5-3°; 200, 8T° ; 100, 8'6° ; surface 11-4°, 

 air 1 1), the closing-net and water-bottle were used as usual. With a 

 falling barometer, reeled mainsail and mi/.zen at 10 p.m. it was 

 blowing a gale and raining in torrents, necessitating double reefs in 

 mainsail and miz/.en and a reef in the foresail. Hove to, the ship 

 rode it out, lying to, as the skipper expressed it, ' like a duck.' 



Next day, August 17, was line, though the sea was heavy, and in ^ U "" 

 hat. h'0° V N. and hong. 6° I' W., depth 5.X0 fathoms, the temperature 

 of the bottom was only- l'0° ; at 500 fathoms — 0'5° ; at 400, — 0-5° ; 

 at 300, 4-3°; at 200, 8-8°; at 100, !)• V ■ surface 11-6°, air 12-0°. 

 Hauls were also made with the closing-net, and sail was then made 

 for Orkney, and on August 20 the ship was brought to her 

 anchorage in Swan bister hay, thus terminating the cruise of L903. 



