The Log of the Cruise of 1905—1906 43 



whole of the outward cruise to Madeira ; and the early months of 1906 

 were extremely stormy for the Mediterranean. 



At the mouth of the English Channel a station was selected twenty 

 miles south-west of Parson's Bank, which would join up these observa- 

 tions to those made by the International Fisheries investigations. 

 Here the sounding gave 90 fathoms, and water and gas samples were ^ ov _- 8 > 

 taken. Here the temperature was found to be a little colder at the |°^y n e f s 

 surface and at the bottom than at 10 fathoms, the lower temperature g a ^? lls 

 at the surface probably being clue to the cold north-west wind which 

 had prevailed for several days. 



With a light breeze from north-west by west, close hauled, a 

 course was made for the next station, 130 miles distant, which was not 

 reached until November 14. After leaving the Parson's Bank station 

 the fine weather disappeared, and very rough weather set in. The old 

 Station 59 was reached on Thursday, November 9, but it was far too 

 rough to do any work. The ship dodged round this station for two 

 days, waiting for an opportunity to do work ; but on the Saturday the 

 storm broke very severely, necessitating double reefs, and on Sunday 

 morning it was necessary to take in three reefs and stow the foresail. 

 All night it blew a whole gale, but the ship lay to like a duck, but on 

 Monday morning the fourth reef had to be taken in, and storm- jib set, 

 and at noon the port gangway was lost. At 4 a.m. on the Tuesday Nov _- 14 > 

 the sea was fearful, and the mainsail burst. However, the storm h *}-' i5 ° 

 subsequently began to subside, and by ten o'clock it was possible to^s- 8 " 

 take water samples from 1,000 fathoms upwards, the sea gradually 

 going down. 



On Wednesday, November 17, the ship was near the old Station 56, ®°J; 17 > 



in Lat. 43° 32' N, Long. 10° 48' W., but as soon as arriving at this ^ t " ]sr 430 



locality had to heave to with a strong gale blowing from north-east for 43< n w 10 ° 



forty hours, with a very heavy sea, before wind and sea abated enough 



to allow of any work. Water samples were taken from 1,200 fathoms 



upwards. The surface temperature was this day 1J° warmer than 



at the last station. The wind then began to rise again, and it was 



necessary to run with double-reefed mainsail, reefed foresail, and 



small jib. _ _ 



J 6 — 2 



