[15] WORK OF STEAMER ALBATROSS. 385 



with deep-sea sounding apparatus aud had no means of demonstrating 

 the contour of the bottom, which is the only effective means of determin- 

 ing the non-existence of submarine dangers. 



Although not on a surveying voyage, I thought it would be unjusti- 

 fiable to pass over supposed dangers of such serious nature with a ship 

 perfectly appointed for deep-sea investigation without settling beyond 

 question their existence or non-existence. This we have done, and a 

 reference to the table of hydrographic soundings will show a regular 

 and gradual increase in depth from the coast to the position assigned 

 them, where we found between 800 and 900 fathoms, giobigerina aud 

 pteropod ooze. There was no indication of change in depth or charac- 

 ter of bottom. These soundings were made during fine, clear weather, 

 the positions determined by good astronomical observations and the 

 surface indications were observed by a lookout at the mast-head, whose 

 line of vision included 12 or 15 miles in every direction. 



The light green conferva, first encountered on the 30th, was seen 

 again while sounding over one of the positions assigned to the Medeiros 

 Rocks, and it occurred to me that these alga? might be peculiar to the 

 locality, and have given rise to the various reports of shoals. Conferva 

 is of common occurrence on the surface of the sea, but its usual color 

 is buff, brown, or eve*n red. I never saw it of this peculiar light green 

 hue before. 



The Albatross was in latitude 27° 54' S., longitude 47° 03' W., at me- 

 ridian, January 1, 1888. We were just emerging from the heat of the 

 tropics, and the cool southerly winds effected a most grateful change in 

 the temperature. An occasional school of skip -jacks was observed, be- 

 sides other surface fish. Among the birds were two or three large 

 white-breasted petrels, which the naturalists vainly attempted to capt- 

 ure. We saw our first albatross on the morning of the 2d, in lati- 

 itude 30° 33' S., longitude 49° 29' W. The same afternoon a sounding- 

 was made in the position assigned to Ried's Bank, latitude 31° 05' S., 

 longitude 49° 45' W., in 78 fathoms, which agrees with depths surround- 

 ing it, and indicates the non-existence of a bank in that positiou. 



Laud was seen during the afternoon of the 3d, and at daylight the fol- 

 lowing morning Ponta del Este and the coast to the northward were in 

 sight. The rounded hill- tops and sand downs presented a rather dis- 

 appointing appearance for a region possessing so many agricultural 

 resources. The character of the country changed after passing Mal- 

 donado, an occasional forest or grove improved the landscape, aud ex- 

 tensively cultivated estates relieved the impression of sterility acquired 

 from a first view of the coast. 



We anchored in the outer roads of Montevideo, near the United 

 States Flag ship Lancaster, at 2.50 p. m., January 4, received pratique 

 at 6 p. in., and at daylight on the 5th moved to the Inner Harbor, where 

 we found the United States steamers Alliance and Tallapoosa, besides 

 several foreign men-of-war. 

 H. Mis. 133 25 



