00 NOTES ON DEEP SKA. SOUNDINGS. 



that of Arafura rather than by that of the Pacific, the communica- 

 tion being through a series of comparatively narrow channels. 



Captain Thomson's Report states that, between the 6th and 

 11th January, of the present year, on the run from Hongkong to 

 Manila, 2,100 fathoms were reached. 



Leaving Zebu a call was made at the volcanic island of Cami- 

 guin. Off the south end of Bohol the depth was 370 fathoms. 

 On 26th January the depth, a mile from the volcano, was 190 

 fathoms, sand and brown mud, with the usual bottom tempera- 

 ture ; the height of the volcano being 1,950 feet from a growth 

 of only four years. On 27th, a patch of six fathoms was found 

 between the Islands of Aliguay and Mindanao, and on 28th 

 the sounding reached 2,225 fathoms. Leaving Samboanga, 2,050 

 fathoms were sounded on 8th February ; between Meangis and 

 Tulur group, 500 on the 9th; and on 10th and 12th, 2,550 

 fathoms. On 16th, on the supposed position of the Carteret 

 group (nothing visible at noon at 8 miles clear distance) a depth 

 was reached of 2,000 fathoms. 



The following quotation will be interesting to many at the 

 present time : — " Finding we were gradually being set towards 

 the coast of New Guinea, I resolved to call in at Humboldt Bay, 

 and if possible let Staff-Commander Tizard survey it, and also 

 give Professor Thomson and his staff an opportunity of making 

 some researches. We anchored inside Point Caillie on the 

 evening of 23rd February, and shifted further into the Bay on 

 the following morning, anchoring in 35 fathoms, mud. Boats 

 were hoisted out and armed, to begin work, but the menacing 

 attitude of the natives on two occasions determined me to leave 

 the same evening. A stay of a week or ten days would, perhaps, 

 have brought about a good understanding, but with such uncer- 

 tainty, time, I feared, could not be spared ; nor did I consider 

 that the service on which we were engaged would justify an 

 embroilment, and perhaps bloodshed. There were about 100 

 canoes alongside during the whole day, with from three to six 

 natives in each, but none of them could be induced to put a foot 

 on board, and although trade was carried on briskly the whole 

 time, and in the fairest spirit on both sides, for bows and arrows 

 and other native productions, nevertheless up went their bows on 

 the most groundless alarm, even on the back turn of the screw. 

 Staff- Commander Tizard succeeded in obtaining observations, 

 and in making a partial sketch of the " Challenger" anchorage, 

 which, although deep, is well protected from all quarters." 



Captain Nares did not visit New Guinea. He says : — " It was 

 with extreme regret that I found myself unable to afford time to 

 visit any part of New Guinea ; even had I been able to do so, 

 very little good could have resulted from a flying visit on only 

 two or three days to a single port." 



