8 



reports, to be running toward danger in darkness, was warned on the 

 initiative of the patrol. 



The isotherm curves on the cruise chart were made up in large 

 part from 908 sea water temperature reports received by radio from 

 149 different vessels. The Tampans own hourly readings were used 

 to supplement the 908 values received from shipping crossing the ice- 

 patrol area. Unusually cold surface water, as low in temperature as 

 28° F., was repeatedly encountered in the area just south of the Tail 

 of the Grand Banks. The southerly extension of cold water and ice, 

 particularly the latter, was greater than during the corresponding 

 period last year. 



THE SECOND CRUISE, " MODOC," APRIL 19-MAY 3 



The Modoc left Boston, Mass., at 10.30 a. m. on April 15, 1929, to 

 relieve the Tampa on ice patrol. Dense fog prevailed at the rendez- 

 vous in 42° 30' N., 51° 40' W.,on the night of April 19, but radio- 

 compass bearings enabled contact to be made readily and search- 

 lights penetrated the fog sufficiently to enable the ice-observation 

 party and the patrol records to be transferred by boat as soon as the 

 two ships met. 



On the morning of April 20 word was received of the French fishing 

 vessel Eskualduna, abandoned in sinking condition at 43° 40' N., 

 51° 15' W. The report being very recent and the location within 

 eight hours' run, course was shaped for the derelict. By the evening 

 of April 21 the area within 30 miles of the reported position had been 

 searched. Good visibility had prevailed, but no wreckage was seen. 

 It is believed that the vessel sank. 



The French fishing vessel Notre Dame de Bizeux was spoken to on 

 the Banks northwest of the Tail on the morning of April 22. She had 

 not seen the Eskualduna nor heard of her abandonment, but she did 

 have on board the master and 17 men of the Chevalier Bayard, a 

 French fishing vessel that had foundered on the 16th due to taking 

 water and to inability to run the pumps. The 18 other members of 

 the crew of the lost vessel were distributed among three more vessels 

 of the fishing fleet in the vicinity. The master of the Notre Dame de 

 Bizeux desired the Modoc to take the rescued fishermen ashore 

 from his vessel. Upon being informed that the Modoc could not 

 land the men for two weeks on account of ice-patrol duties, he drafted 

 a radiogram for transmission to the French hospital ship Ste. Jeanne 

 D'Arc, requesting that vessel to relieve him of the extra men for whom 

 he had no suitable accommodations. Continuing south, the Modoc 

 on the 22d sighted seven bergs and several dozen growlers in the 

 cold water just west of the Tail. The North Atlantic track agreement 

 shifted from track "B" to track "A" on the 22d. Much field ice 



