PREFACE. xi 



and Dr. M'Intosh, for information courteously 

 supplied. 



The whole of the illustrations in the book — with 

 the exception of the vignettes of Fseroe scenery for 

 which i am indebted to the accomplished pencil of 

 Madame Holten — are by my friend Mr. J. J. Wild. 

 I need scarcely thank him for the admirable way in 

 which he has accomplished his task, for every figure 

 was with him a labour of love, and I almost envy 

 him the gratification he must feel in the result. 

 To Mr. J. D. Cooper I owe my sincere thanks for 

 the singularly faithful and artistic rendering of 

 Mr. Wild's beautiful drawings on the wood-blocks. 



On the return of tlae ' Porcupine ' from her last 

 cruise, so much interest was felt in the bearings of 

 the new discoveries upon important biological geo-- 

 logical and physical problems, that a representation 

 was made to Government by the Council of the 

 Hoyal Society, urging the despatch of an expedition 

 to traverse the great ocean basins, and take an out- 

 line survey of the vast new field of research — the 

 bottom of the sea. 



Rear-Admiral Richards, C.B., E.R.S., the Hydro- 

 grapher to the Navy, warmly supported the pro- 

 posal, and while I am writing a noble ship is 

 lying at Sheerness equipped for scientific research 

 under his wise and liberal directions, as no ship 

 of any nation was ever equipped before. 



