6 



the Tamjpa sighted a great quantity of ice; approximately 100 bergs 

 and several ice fields during the day (see PI. II). This is the largest 

 number of bergs, according to records, ever sighted at one time by 

 the patrol ship around the Grand Bank. 



The Modoc was met on the 8th of May near Cape Race and the 

 patrol duty turned over to her. There were 1,040 sea-water tem- 

 perature reports received, 82 reports of ice, about 120 bergs sighted, 

 6 steamships given special ice information upon request, and 23 

 vessels were asked to acknowledge for our evening ice broadcasts. 



THE FOURTH CRUISE, "MODOC, ' MAY 8 TO 23, 1927 



The Modoc proceeded to the eastern side of the Grand Bank, 

 arriving there on the 10th of May, and after locating the southern- 

 most bergs on the slope just north of the forty-sixth parallel, pre- 

 pared to take a line jf oceanographic stations off to the eastward, 

 the beginning of a current survey. We were handicapped in this 

 work on account of the drum of the new oceanographic hoist the 

 flange head of which broke in two after taking the second station. 

 The second hoist was quickly installed, however, by the crew work- 

 ing most all of that night, and in the morning we were ready to go 

 ahead again. 



A message was received from headquarters early the morning of the 

 11th requesting the Modoc to keep a bright lookout for an airplane 

 on its nonstop flight from New York to Paris, the Modoc taking a 

 position about 60 miles due south of the Tail in the reported line of 

 flight. As the time of flying was postponed on account of bad 

 weather conditions prevailing in the North Atlantic, we took ad- 

 vantage of the delay to continue with the current survey, running a 

 line of stations normal to the slope and southward to this foremen- 

 tioned position, thus the time was spent from May 11 to the 20th. 

 During this period, by the way, almost continuous south winds and 

 fog prevailed. No ice was sighted and there were very few reports 

 from ships regarding this subject. The few bergs that were ob- 

 served were distributed on the northern part of the Bank; some of 

 the same ice which we had previously sighted May 6 on the Tampa. 



The last few days of the cruise clear weather set in and the patrol 

 ship was cruised northward along the eastern slope of the Bank, 

 searching for ice. Only one berg was sighted and that on the last 

 day of the cruise, it being found just north of the forty-sixth 

 parallel in the shoal water inside the 50-fathom curve. 



Following is a summary of the ice patrol work during the cruise : 

 Sea-water temperatures received, 1,100; ice reports received, 42; 

 vessels requested to acknowledge for our broadcasts, 10; special ice 

 information given, 9; and bergs sighted, 1, 



