27 



and Cape Race. A current of from 0.8 to 1 knot was observed along 

 the SE. slopes of the Grand Banks. The current had a general 

 southerly direction parallel to the edge of the Grand Banks. At 

 11.55 p. m. an unidentified steamer passed close to us bound west. 



At 4 a. m., May 9, started ahead and began to search for icebergs 

 otf the eastern slope of the Grand Banks, along the axis of the 

 Labrador current. The general course of the vessel was about NNE, 

 During the forenoon two schools of whales were sighted also several 

 fulmars and dovekies and numerous murres. A three-masted topsail 

 schooner bound to the westward was sighted at 7.15 a. m., and at noon 

 two sailing vessels were reported by the lookout aloft. All three 

 vessels were too distant to signal, but it is probable they were French 

 fishermen. At 11.55 we stopped to occupy oceanographic station No. 

 458. As a short circuit was found in the motor used to hoist the 

 Avater bottles, the taking of this station was deferred until the motor 

 could be repaired. It had begun to rain, and the visibility was greatly 

 reduced, making a thorough search for ice impracticable. We, there- 

 fore, headed for the Grand Banks, where we anchored at 2.45 p. m. 

 in 33 fathoms of water; latitude 44° 20' north, longitude 49° 15' 

 west. At midnight on the 8th there was a dead calm, the sky was 

 clear, sea smooth, and the barometer was 30.20 and had begun to fall. 

 By noon a moderate SE. breeze was blowing, the barometer had 

 fallen to 29.95 and it was raining hard. The conditions remained 

 about the same until 7 p. m. when the wind shifted to ENE., force 

 of 6, and the barometer, which had fallen to 29.77, began to rise. At 

 midnight the wind was E., force 4, barometer 29.84, sky overcast, 

 liorizon hazy, and a moderate swell from the east. 



No ice was seen or reported this day. 



At 9 a. m.. May 10, got up anchor and proceeded to the eastward 

 to tlie Labrador current where we stopped at 11.30 a. m. and occupied 

 oceanographic station No. 458. After completing this station a search 

 for ice was made to the northward, following the general trend of 

 the Labrador current. At 7.25 p. m. we stopped and occupied station 

 No. 459 after which we drifted for the night. The search this day 

 covered the eastern slope of the Grand Banks between latitude 44° 

 28' north, and latitude 45° 18' north. Although arctic water was 

 found at both stations, no current was observed during the day's 

 run. 



No ice was sighted this day, but the steamer Cranley reported, via 

 Cape Race, passing a narroAv strip of field ice and growlers extending 

 from 48° 42' north, 51° 12' west, for about 30 miles in a general di- 

 rection of 100° true. This is the first ice which has been reported 

 this cruise and it is so far north that it is very unlikely it will ever 

 become a menace to vessels following the regular steamer tracks. 



