28 



growlers and iniicli heavy pack ice. At sunset the Mendota stopped 

 and drifted for the night. 



At daybreak, April 11, the Mendota commenced scouting from lati- 

 tude 45°05' N., longitude 47°20' W., to the westward, to determine 

 whether any ice lay in the area between the ice field and the 100- 

 fathom curve. At HOT a large iceberg was s'ghted in latitude 45°05'" 

 N., longitude 48°30' W. This berg was long and quite low with a 

 single ridge along one side about 60 feet high. The rest of the berg 

 was only about 20 feet above the water, and the whole was 400 feet 

 long, 200 feet Avicle. At 1310, a large iceberg was sighted in latitude 

 45°32' N., longitude 48°17' W. This berg was not approached, as, 

 upon advice of the medical officer of this ship, it was decided to pro- 

 ceed with all possible speed to St. John's, Newfoundland, to hospitalize 

 a man suffering from acute appendicitis. The Mendota anchored 

 in St. John's Harbor at 0755. April 12, 1935, hospitalized the sick man 

 in St. John's General Hospital and returned to sea at 0955. This 

 necessary emergency trip did not in any way interfere with the con- 

 duct of the patrol. The 0700 broadcast was transmitted before enter- 

 ing the harbor, and the schedule with Washington, being on a high- 

 frequency band, did not violate harbor regulations, was successfully 

 dispatched while at anchor, and the 1000 broadcast was transmitted 

 on time after the Mendota had cleared the harbor. The Ice Patrol 

 call, N. I. D. K., was answered by the General Greene during the 2 

 hours the Mendota was in St. Johns. While en route to the eastern 

 edge of the Grand Banks from St. John's, an iceberg was sighted in 

 latitude 47°00' N., longitude 51°54' W. 



The Mendota arrived in the cold current east of the banks early 

 April 13, and at 0600 sighted a berg in latitude 43°53' N., longitude 

 49°07' W. The water temperature was 29° F. This berg was un- 

 mistakably the berg found in latitude 45°05' N., longitude 46°30' 

 W., on April 11. The diift of this berg had averaged over 30 miles a 

 day south-southeastward since last sighted. Such a drift is excep- 

 tional, though it has been often noted in past seasons. The Mendota 

 continued her southward search just east of the 100-fathom curve, 

 and during the day scouted out an area 35 miles wide between lati- 

 tudes 42°40'N. and 43°45'N. No furtlier ice was sighted so the Men- 

 data returned to the berg sighted that morning and drifted Avith it 

 during the night. This was the southernmost known ice. The next 

 day the Mendota ran northeastward between the 100 and 1,000 

 fathom curves to see what other ice was moving southward in the 

 cold current. At 1006, April 14, a large iceberg was sighted in 

 lalitude 43"58' N., longitude 49°05' W. This berg was easily iden- 

 tified as the berg sighted on April 10, in latitude 46°04' N., longitude 



