26 



23 miles, one oast-northeast, 27 miles, and the other east-southeast, 



24 miles. These bergs were of three distinct types which develop 

 in later stages of disintegration so that the eccentricities of drift 

 may be explained in terms of eccentricity of form and the conse- 

 quent varied balance between the action of wind and current. The 

 berg having the most northerly drift was extremely low and flat, 

 being therefore, little affected by the wind and was carried along 

 with the current in spite of westerly gales. The berg having the 

 east-northeast drift was the more conventional small berg with 

 rounded contour of domes and depressions, and of comparative!}^ shal- 

 low draft, was driven almost directly before the gale. The third 

 berg, which was more directly in the strength of the cold current, 

 Avas a drydock type, small and having two lofty peaks with the 

 sea washing between. These peaks exposed tremendous sail area 

 for the size of the berg, but also the berg was deeper draft than 

 either of the other two. As a consequence it was carried in a southerly 

 direction by the current and after being blown from the cold current 

 by the gale, turned east of east-northeast with the wind with a 

 resultant drift of east-southeast as shown. All three bergs were 

 reduced to growlers when last seen and were drifting east-northeast 

 at a little more than 10 miles per day. The Pontchartrain hove to, 

 headed into the westerly wind which reached gale force at 1700, 

 at slow speed throughout the night. The gales continued through 

 the early morning of April 5, at 0920 wind and sea abated some- 

 what, the Pontcliartraln headed east at 11 knots, to do such scouting 

 as the still rough sea would permit. At 1553 a growler was found 

 in latitude 44°48' N., longitude 48°03' W. At 1945 the Pontchar- 

 trahi stopped to drift for the night. 



The morning of April 6 was fine and clear, affording an oppor- 

 tunity to scout out the entire edge of the banks from latitude 44°40' 

 N., to the tail of the Grand Banks. This was done on the 6th and 

 7th of April. No ice was sighted. 



At daybreak, April 8, the Pontehartrain commenced scouting 

 southward 20 miles outside the previous day's course line and at 

 0910 changed course to the westward and headed across the Grand 

 Banks for the relieving point. The Pontehartrain contacted the 

 Mendota in latitude 43°05' N., longitude 52° 12' W. A boat was 

 lowered and Lt. G. Van A. Graves and the observer's party were 

 transferred to the Mendota and the Pontehartram was relieved as 

 Ice Patrol vessel at 0030 April 9, 1935. Upon relief, the Pontehar- 

 tram set course for Halifax, Nova Scotia, arriving there at 1400 

 April 10, 1935. (See fig. 11.) 



The following is a summar}- of ice and water-temperature reports 

 received durinsr the cruise : 



