64G DK J. H. HARVEY PIRIE ON DEKP-SEA DEPOSITS 



uncommon occurrence. It did not often happen while sounding in the Weddell Sea, 

 where the ship was usually in " small water" — the swell being broken by the abundant 

 pack ice, — but it occurred only too frequently in the more stormy seas to the north and 

 north-east of that area. So much rough weather was, in fact, encountered that it was 

 often impossible even to attempt a sounding, the rolling of the ship being so great ; 

 and even if the lowering of the sounder was accomplished safely, it was no uncommon 

 occurrence for the wire to snap either before winding in could be started or soon after 

 it had commenced its upward journey. On a few occasions the wire snapped through 

 catching on floating ice, but this was a rare accident. From the point of view of 

 deposits the paucity of material from the region between the Falkland Islands, the 

 S. Orkneys, and the S, Sandwich group is most to be deplored, and, though to a 

 somewhat less extent, the comparative infrequence of those obtained along the 10th 

 meridian W. long, between 60° S. lat. and Gough Island. 



The sounding-machine used was a Lucas machine, which, being driven by a rope 

 from a special small engine, could reel in at about the rate of 100 fathoms per 

 minute. The sounding-tubes employed were in most instances those devised by 

 Buchanan for bringing up a sample of both deposit and bottom-water, the mud tube 

 being 1 inch wide and either 12 inches or 18 inches long, usually the longer tube being 

 employed. Under the systematic description of the samples, if nothing is mentioned 

 as to the sounding-tube employed it is to be understood that a Buchanan tube was 

 used. These tubes were found eminently satisfactory in their working. One practical 

 point in sounding was found by experience to be that kinking and snapping of the 

 sounding-wire could be to a great extent prevented by introducing a 10-fathom length 

 of hemp rope between the lower end of the wire and the sounder. 



At the commencement of the voyage from the Falklands southwards an ordinary 

 deep-sea lead was used on a few occasions and also a tube of the Baillie pattern supplied 

 by the Admiralty. The use of the former and the fact that a number of sounding- 

 tubes were lost are responsible for the small number of samples obtained from this 

 locality. In a few of the shallow- water soundings a Lucas "snapper" lead was 

 employed ; these naturally tend to bring up pebbles, and if the jaws are not quite 

 closed any mud or clastic material will in all probability be washed out. For the 

 soundings taken while in winter quarters at the S. Orkneys a small Lucas machine 

 mounted on a sledge was used with, in most instances, a simple lead attached so that 

 no bottom material was brought up. The few samples obtained came either from a 

 snapper-lead or a small hand-dredge. 



The plugs of mud from the Buchanan sounding-tubes were pushed out entire by 

 a wooden rod or piston accurately fitting the interior of the tubes. In most cases the 

 material was then simply bottled and brought home unaltered for detailed examination. 

 In very few instances was any obvious naked-eye difference to be made out in the 

 appearances presented by the more superficial and by the deeper portions of the plug of 

 deposit, although in a few cases where the specimen was divided into two and the parts 



