19 



was received a report of a berg 40 miles to the southeastward in 

 42° 27' N., 50° 02' W. This ice was headed for and the distance was 

 run up before the vessel was stopped for the night. 



At daylight on the morning of Ala}' 7 a low round water-washed 

 berg was sighted near by. Three oceanographic stations were taken 

 in the vicinity of the low berg and of another small one that was located 

 about IS miles to the northeast. The bergs were both in water 

 warmer than 42° F., so were eroding and diminishing fairly rapidly. 

 They were drifting slowly southward toward the westbound B tracks, 

 now about 40 miles away from them. 



On the 8th it was foggy most of the time due to a light southeast 

 wind. During the intervals when the visibility was fair a few runs 

 were made in search of the berg to the northeast of the small round 

 one, but it was not to be found. The southernmost ice, now visibly 

 smaller and looking like a big floating toadstool, was returned to for 

 the night. 



May 9th commenced with clear skies and a rising barometer. It 

 was the beginning of a two-day period of good visibility, during 

 which a large area south and southeast of the Tail was searched. 

 Both of the small bergs being stood by were relocated. The south- 

 ernmost one was found to be in 42° 08' N., 50° 10' W. The other had 

 closed up on it, being only eight miles off. 



These bergs were left early on the 9th. A course was laid for a 

 berg reported in 42° 37' N., 48° 51 'W., which was seen by the patrol 

 vessel when 22 miles away. It proved to be an immense piece of ice 

 with pinnacles and ridges sticking up over 150 feet above the surface. 

 With its large natural arch, and its patches of black dirt imbedded in 

 some of the sheer walls it was a striking object in the bright sunlight. 

 All hands gazed at it in fascination as it was circled, while the photog- 

 raphers on board snapped shutters with all their might. 



TwentA'-four reports of ice were received during the 9th. One of 

 these listed 12 bergs about 60 miles, 70° true from St-. Johns, New- 

 foundland. Only three bergs were reported south of the forty- 

 sixth parallel. A westerly course was run from the arched berg for 30 

 miles, but no more ice was located by the Modoc. 



On the 10th the visibility was still good. No less than 37 different 

 messages reporting ice were received, the record for one day so far 

 for the season. Courses were run first to the northeast, then to the 

 northwest up to the 50-fat'hom curve of the Banks. This was 

 followed to the southwest around the Tail, and then, late in the 

 afternoon, 1;he two small southernmost bergs were headed for. 



While over the shoal water several trials were made to get bottom 

 samples for Dr. P. D. Trask of La Jolla, Calif. His apparatus, 

 being designed particularly for muds, failed to work on account of 

 the sandy nature of the deposits. 



