INTERNATIONAL ICE OBSERVATION AND ICE PATROL SERVICE. 11 



of the 19th. when we steamed to lat. 43° 24' N., long. 49° 28' W., 

 which was the position of the bergs reported by the Rreizizel, but 

 none was sightea. We continued to search to the southward, passing 

 through slob ice and finding more birds than heretofore seen on this 

 cruise. Fulmars, a few great black-back gulls, kittiwakes, and 

 dovekies were seen. At 3 p. m., arrived alongside of a small, saddle- 

 shaped berg, or growler, in lat. 43° 05' N., long. 49° 40' W., where- 

 upon the vessel was stopped and permitted to drift. At sunrise, 

 March 19, observations showed that the growler had drifted SW. 

 2 miles per hour. The steamship Alness reported having sighted a 

 large berg in lat. 43° 24' N., long. 49° 15' W., at 2.45 p. m. the 19th. 

 The Seneca proceeded in search of this berg at daylight on the 20th 

 and found it at noon in lat. 43° 04' N., long. 49° 20' W. On account 

 of the positions of these bergs and the strong set of the Labrador 

 Current, recommended to Headquarters, by radiogram, that the ice 

 patrol commence. It was planned to drift with this berg and to 

 gauge the current, but the weather was overcast and foggy on the 

 21st, so that the position of the berg was not plotted imtil noon of 

 the 22d, when it was found to be in lat. 42° 53' N., long. 49° 34' W. 

 Observations showed that the strength of the current had decreased 

 to 7 knots per day. During the afternoon of the 23d. fog again set 

 in and the vessel was permitted to drift. On the 25th, received a 

 radiogram from Headquarters, directing the Seneca to continue the 

 ice patrol until relieved by the Tampa. On the 25th, the fog lifted, 

 the wind having hauled to NW., and search was started at daylight 

 for the berg last seen on the 22d in lat. 42° 53' N., long. 49° 34' W. 

 This berg was sighted shortly before noon and observations placed 

 it in lat. 43° 04' N., long. 50° 31' W., showing that it had drifted 48 

 miles, 290° true, in three days. The ship drifted 70 miles, 290° true, 

 during the same period of time. The berg was only one-half as large 

 as when sighted on the 22d and not more than one-fourth as large 

 as when seen on the 20th. Its high pinnacles and shallow base had 

 made it a good sailer. From the time when it was reported by the 

 steamship Alness, on the 19th, until its position was observed on the 

 25th, it had drifted a distance of about SO miles in a curve paralleling 

 the Tail of the Bank, its track being the resultant of the current 

 and the gentle to fresh easterly breezes. (See chart "D.") Another 

 berg was also sighted at sunset on the 25th in lat. 43° 10' N., long. 

 50° 50' W. 



During the 26th the Seneca drifted, keeping the berg to the south 

 in sight. The berg sighted at sunset on the 25th was no longer visi- 

 ble. The first large nock of tern was seen this day. The morning 

 of the 27th set in misty, so that the berg to the south could not ibe 

 seen. On the evening of the 26th the steamship Canadian Seigneur 

 reported having sighted a berg in lat. 41° 35' N., long. 50° 32' W. 

 On the morning of the 27th the steamship Polonia reported having 

 sighted one in lat. 41° 30' N., long. 50° 05' W. These reports prob- 

 ably related to the same berg. The Seneca steamed for the latter 

 position and located the berg on the westbound track for Boston. 

 A broadcast was sent at noon, calling attention to the extreme 

 southern position of this berg and warning vessels to keep to the 

 southward of it. This berg was probably on the boundary between 



29150—23 2 



