INTERNATIONAL ICE OBSERVATION AND ICE PATROL SERVICE. 41 



whistle gave back a distinct echo, with no appreciable change as we 

 drew away from the berg. At 2 p. m., the weather cleared and at 

 4.05 p. m. we arrived alongside tne berg which we passed at 6.25 

 p. m. of the 23d. This berg was now in lat. 42° 20' N., long. 50° 47' 

 W., and, although still large, was appreciably smaller than when seen 

 on the 22d inst. No other bergs were sighted before dark. The 

 following radiogram was received from the steamship Luxvalile: 

 ''Please have doctor prescribe for man with strained back. Symp- 

 toms as follows: Severe pain continually at second vertebra from base 

 of spine, more so when coughing, can not sit up or raise head without 

 causing extra severe pain, some relief when pressure applied to second 

 vertebra from base, can move limbs. Accident happened while in 

 bent-over position while picking up weight." Our medical officer 

 prescribed treatment, but was handicapped by information that the 

 Luxpalile had no medicines on board. 



June 25. Light airs to light and gentle winds, W. and SW., partly 

 clear, hazy. At daylight the weather outlook was favorable for 

 scouting and we started, at 4.45 a. m., to cover as much area as 

 possible before dark. The berg last seen on the 24th, in lat. 42° 

 20' N., long. 50° 47' W., was passed at 9.40 a. m., in lat. 42° 20' 

 N., long. 51° 02' W. At 12.50 p. m., a large berg, about 65 feet high 

 and 200 feet in diameter, was located in lat. 43° 01' N., long. 50° 54.' 

 W. At 3.35 p. m., we were alongside of a conical-shaped berg, 140 

 feet high and 500 feet in diameter, in lat. 42° 59' N., long. 50° 12' W. 

 While in tliis vicinity, another berg was seen to the northward in 

 lat. 43° 08' N., long. 50° 12' W. It was believed that the bergs 

 sighted on this date would drift to the westward until they encoun- 

 tered the GuH Stream current and then be set to the southward and 

 eastward, possibly reaching lat. 41° 30' N., or even farther to the 

 southward, and be a menace for two weeks longer. (See Chart " O. ") 

 As the visibility was good, but with a hazy horizon, the day was 

 devoted to a search of the area west of lon^. 49° 50' W. and south 

 of the 43d parallel. Bergs loomed through the haze at a considerable 

 distance. At the close of the day we were standing for the position 

 of the berg reported in lat. 41° 46' N., long. 49° 49' W., and arrived 

 there at 10.40 p. m., when we stopped and drifted for the remainder 

 of the night. A number of whales were seen during the day. The 

 medical officer continued treatment, by radio, of the sick man on 

 the steamship Luxpalile. 



June 26. Light airs to gentle breezes, W. to SW.; partly clear and 

 hazy. Moderate SW. swell. The clear weather enabled us to almost 

 complete a survey of the ice field south of lat. 43° 20' N. This survey 

 indicated that the berg menace existed much later this year than 

 during any season since the patrol was taken over by the Coast 

 Guard in 1914. Eleven bergs were located during the day. Many 

 of these were huge masses of ice, which would constitute a potential 

 menace to the steamship lanes for many days to come, unless prevail- 

 ing conditions materially change in the near future. The presence of 

 these bergs so far south is di&cult to understand, as we have had 

 almost continuous southerly winds for the past month, or longer. It 

 is probable that the larger bergs will constitute a menace to naviga- 

 tion for about two weeks longer and, imder the influences of the 

 various currents, would drift down near the trans-Atlantic tracks 

 before they finally disintegrated. Because of these conditions, the 



