28 Extracts from the Log of the 1904 Cruise 



suddenly gave way. In danger of losing the whole tackle, the device 

 was hit upon by Buchan Henr} r of winding a length of stout rope on 

 the drum of the winch and driving some long spikes through the rope 

 into the drum. This saved the situation, which for a few minutes was 

 serious, the loss of 1,500 fathoms of wire, the heavy closing-net, and a 

 couple of thermometers being too dreadful to contemplate. However, 

 the device succeeded admirably, and the net, when hauled up, was 

 found to contain a good haul ; at 1,000 fathoms the haul was similarly 

 successful. At 700 fathoms there was not much taken in the net, and 

 the temperature at this depth was 1° C. colder than at any of the 

 stations of corresponding depth previously worked ; at 500 and 

 400 fathoms the hauls were very poor — scarcely anything in the net — 

 and the temperature was also below normal ; and at 200 and 

 100 fathoms the hauls were of no value. This station is 360 miles 

 from the starting-place — viz., Ireland — and all the time the wind was 



station 8. right ahead, except for one day. On June 29, after a long beat to 

 windward, at noon, the position was found to be Lat. 46° 40' N., Long. 

 17° 09' W. — far enough to the south, but not to the west. The sea was 

 much too bad for work with the closing-net, but water samples were 

 collected from 1,200 fathoms upwards. The water-bottle can be used 

 when it would be fruitless or folly to attempt work with the closing- 

 nets. The thermometer showed that at this station the cold wedge of 

 water previously referred to had been left behind, the temperature at 

 1,200 fathoms being 3-8°C. ; at 900, 5-0° C. ; at 600, 9-0° C. ; at 200, 

 10-6° C. ; at 100, 11-0° C. 



station 9. Just after finishing the last station a gale sprang up from west-north- 

 west, which lasted for three days, and the ship lay close-reefed until 

 on July 2, in Lat. 45° 6' N., Long. 18° 14' W., at 4 a.m. the sea had 

 moderated sufficiently to permit the resumption of work. The closing- 

 net was therefore put down to 1,500 fathoms, but when hauled up 

 contained nothing ; at 1,200 fathoms there was a good haul, and at 

 1,000 fathoms a smaller haul than the last. At 800 fathoms the haul was 

 very good, although the temperature was very low, over 1°C. less than 

 at the corresponding depth at any previous station. At 600 fathoms 



