20 



by the Modoc. It reached latitude 46° 00' N. before the Gulf 

 stream pinched off the cold water to the southward leaving only a 

 tongue paralleling the Banks, possibly 15 miles in width and reaching 

 down to about latitude 44° 30' N. The berg was first observed 

 on May 10. It drifted to the southward following the contour of 

 the Banks to latitude 44° 28' N., longitude 48° 53' W., when it 

 recurved to the eastward and was last seen by the Modoc in latitude 

 44° 40' N., longitude 47° 52' W. This berg was reported on the 

 morning of the 21st by the Tuscania in latitude 44° 41' N., longitude 

 47° 36' W. It seemed that the bergs coming to the southward this 

 season until this cruise having arrived at latitude 46° 00' N. increased 

 their drift until latitude 44° 40' N. was reached when they ceased 

 their southerly motion and moved off slowly to the eastward. On 

 the afternoon of May 20, two bergs that had been reported south of 

 latitude 46° 00' N. were sighted respectively in latitude 44° 41' N., 

 longitude 48° 41' W., and latitude 45° 04' N., longitude 48° 39' W. 

 Check was kept on these bergs until the night of Ma}^ 21, when they 

 lost their southerly drift and took up the easterh^ drift in latitude 

 44° 32' N. 



The majority of bergs were in the Arctic water area and their 

 movements were very slow. It is rather interesting to see how the 

 bergs as a whole strive to remain in the cold water. It seemed that 

 bergs located more than 10 miles off the northeast Bank paralleled 

 the edge of the Bank in their drift, while those less than 10 miles 

 drifted due south. The southern movement seemed to be very slow 

 until latitude 46° 00' N. was reached when the bergs took an addi- 

 tional impetus, reaching a drift of 1 knot and better per hour. 

 This, however, was reduced when the bergs reached latitude 44° 30' 

 N. where the drift stopped and the bergs started their eastward 

 journey. The Arctic cold tongue disappeared about May 15 and 

 that allowed practically all bergs off the Banks to come south slowly. 



There were 60 known bergs and 19 doubtful ones (bergs reported 

 once but positions not confirmed later) on the ice chart, divided as 

 follows : 



Between latitudes 44 and 45° 4 



Between latitudes 45 and 46° 3 



Between latitudes 46 and 47° 14 



Between latitudes 47 and 48° 41 



Between latitudes 48 and 49° 17 



These did not include the bergs close to the coast of Ne^vfound- 

 land, but only bergs which were likely to endanger shipping when a 

 departure was taken from land. It was comparatively easy to 

 identify bergs, as practically all ships were kind enough to send a 

 good description with their reports. This assisted the oceanographer 

 to recognize the individual bergs and in observing their progress and 



