1886-1887.] 507 



are keenly looked for. Nothing is, however, now sacrificed. 

 After the general members pick over the lot, and leave 

 apparently not a trace behind worth having, the "specialist," 

 with scrupulous care, washes every particle of sand and mud into 

 his strong calico bag, duly numbered, and, having carefully 

 tied the same, and registered locality, depth, and other minute 

 details in his log-book, he smiles as he views his accumulating 

 wealth, and, like a true man of business, works and plans to 

 again increase his store. 



Meanwhile, tea and biscuits are being freely handed round, 

 the refreshing aroma of which arouses the stricken and gives 

 fresh zest to the active. A hazy horizon has blotted out the 

 land all round, and charts and sounding lines have to be con- 

 sulted to ascertain the exact whereabouts of the ship. It is 

 found that a few minutes' run would put the steamer over the 

 deep trench in the Channel, which lies nearer the Scotch than 

 the Irish side. The decision is at once made to make the last 

 haul of the day in this abyss. The sounding line gives out 

 eighty-six fathoms. More to the east or Scotch side is the order, 

 and soon another sounding announces 114 fathoms. A dredge 

 is at once sent down, and 220 fathoms of rope given to it. 

 After some time to fill, the tedious work of hauling is com- 

 . menced, and it is finally brought on deck, when, with dismay, 

 it is found that its precious cargo of mud had almost all escaped 

 through imperfect fastening of the dredge-bag. The little 

 remaining is poured on the tray. It is not attractive. The 

 naked eye fails to detect in it anything desirable ; but golden 

 sands were never more carefully gathered than was this, the 

 deepest material ever brought up from our northern Irish seas. 

 The microscope will reveal its wonders, and at the winter 

 meetings of the Club more will doubtless be heard of it. The 

 dredging is now over, and all steam and sail are made for Car- 

 rickfergus, and later our own new harbour, with its magnificent 

 range of sheds, and its perfect lines of lamps, now seen to full 

 advantage in the absence of every cross-channel steamer, is 

 soon reached, and thus ends a most successful day's cruise, 

 giving material for many winter evenings' work. 



