90 



cold water flowing toward the southwest. The presence of this 

 phenomonon has puzzled oceanographers, since no such current had 

 previously been found in that locality. The detailed surface tem- 

 perature chart "L" conclusively explains the cause as the tendency 

 of oceanic circulation to proceed by means of complex eddy-hke 

 tongues, which are ceaselessly changing in size and position. Appar- 

 ently the oceanographic section which the Michael Sars took 

 crossed a tongue of cold water, similar in position and size to that 

 shown for June 1-15, on chart 'L." The following quotation from 

 Helland-Hansen and Nansen^^ will further emphasize this point: 



The progress of water masses through the ocean does not proceed by any 

 such simple Hnes as schematic current charts represent. It proceeds more by 

 monster moving eddy currents on the surface of the ocean and in the deeper 

 layers. These whirlpools are in a great measure the cause of the extraordinary 

 tongue-like projections of the isotherms, not only at the surface of the ocean but 

 in the underlying deeper layers. 



Attention is called to the icebergs in the Gulley. (See chart "L.") 

 They drifted south in the Labrador Current, rounded Cape Race, and 

 one was seen west as far as Cape Pine, grounded near the hghthouse. 

 This drift agrees with previous observations " that a branch of the 

 Labrador Current flows in the relatively deep Gulley between Cape 

 Race and the shoaler part of the Grand Bank to the southward. 

 The drift of the patrol ship in this locality during May indicated a 

 1-knot current, setting southwest. 



To sum up: June 1 to 15 there were 12 bergs south of the -iSd 

 parallel; June 15 to 30, 6 were south of the 43d parallel, 7 south of 

 the 45th parallel, and 19 south of the 48th parallel. There were 51 

 per cent hours of fog and 71 per cent hours of fog and low visibility. 

 The central point of observations was lat. 43° 00', long. 50° 00'. The 

 winds for the month were variable, of an average force of 3, but with 

 one gale, force 10, from the north, on the 23d instant. (See wind and 

 fog scale, fig. 4, page 87.) 



JULY. 



There were no bergs reported or sighted around the Tail of the 

 Bank during this period of the patrol. A few were located on the 

 northern part of the Banks. (See chart " N.") Consequently the ice 

 patrol was discontinued on the 12th. 



Although there were no bergs sighted, tlie drift of the derelict de- 

 stroyed on July 7 affords added infonnation regarding the currents 

 of this region. June 3 she was reported bottom up by the steamer 

 President Van Buren, in lat. 40° 38', long. 59° 50'. July 3 the ice 

 patrol sliip found lier in lat 41° 11', long. 48° 41 ', having drifted 500 



" 1920. Helland-Hansen and Nansen: "Temperature Variations in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the 

 Atmosphere," Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, vol. 70, No. 4, pp. 11-12. 

 " 1914. Matliews, J. D.: "Report on the Work Carried out by the Stoamship Scotia, 1913," pp. 31-32 



