May 16, 1SS4. | 
having a moderate depth of water over it, wells 
might be sunk with a fair probability of suc- 
eess. An effort was made recently, by the 
colonial government, to ascertain the depth of 
the channel, but without success. 
During the afternoon we made a haul of the 
dredge in 122 fathoms, and of the trawl in 
208 fathoms, in the channel above mentioned, 
with but moderate success. A few specimens 
were, however, secured from both hauls. The 
small amount of life on the bottom of the 
Caribbean, compared to that off the New- 
England coast, has been a constant surprise 
to me during the cruise. 
At 1 a.m. the following day a course was 
made north-north-west for Alta Vela, a small 
island on the south coast of San Domingo. 
Soundings were taken at intervals of 10’, 20’, 
and 25’; and at 9.10 4.m. we sounded in latitude 
13° 17 45” north, longitude 70° 1’ west, with a 
depth of 1,701 fathoms, the bottom composed 
of foraminiferous ooze and coarse sand. The 
small beam-trawl was landed on deck, with a 
few sponges, shrimp, small fish, etc., indicating 
any thing but rich ground. On the morning 
of the 21st we passed a few miles to the west- 
ward of Alta Vela, and laid a course north- 
west for Cape Jacmel, sounding at intervals of 
about 16’. 
The deepest water found between Curacoa 
and San Domingo was 2,694 fathoms, in lati- 
tude 13° 40’ 20” north, longitude 70° 10’ 45” 
west. The bottom was brown ooze, without a 
trace of foraminifera. The average depth was 
about 2,300 fathoms until within a short dis- 
tance of the land, when it shoaled rapidly to 
302 fathoms four miles south-west of Alta Vela, 
deepening again to 2,410 fathoms 20’ west- 
north-west of the island; the next sounding, 
16’ distant north-west by west, revealing 2,434 
fathoms, —the greatest depth between Curacoa 
and Aspinwall, with the single exception before 
mentioned. 
The line was extended to Jacmel, showing 
bold water to the cape; then 60’ south, cross- 
ing a ridge which extends westward from Alta 
Vela. We then ran a line north-west 40’, 
crossing the line of the ridge above mentioned, 
but found it had terminated, or changed its 
direction, as we carried a uniform depth of 
about 2,400 fathoms. We then steamed 18’ 
west-south-west, and sounded in 2,490 fath- 
oms, brown ooze, latitude 17° 39’ 30” north, 
longitude 73° 22’ 15” west; ‘ Leighton rock 
awash,’ hydrographic-office chart No. 36, 
being located in latitude 17° 37’ north, longi- 
tude 73° 21’ west. After another run of 15’ 
north-west by west, we sounded in 2,369 
SCIENCE. 
a9] 
fathoms, brown ooze, latitude 17° 48’ north, 
longitude 73° 34’ 15” west; ‘Loos shoal’ 
being placed in latitude 17° 45’ north, longi- 
tude 73° 30’ west, hydrographic-office chart No. 
36. These shoals were searched for in 1872 
by H.M.S. Philomel and Plover, and, as they 
were unable to find them, they were expunged 
from the admiralty charts; but, being still 
shown on hydrographic-office charts, I con- 
sidered it advisable to settle the matter beyond 
all dispute by ascertaining the actual depth 
in the localities assigned them. 
Another sounding was taken 9’ south of 
Point Abacou, in 1,039 fathoms, and then a 
line run 30’ west, sounding every 10’; then 
north-west 13’, and south-south-west 53’, sound- 
ing at intervals of about 15’ for the purpose 
of eliminating a large number of negative 
soundings appearing on the chart, and also to 
examine two shoals referred to in hydrographic- 
office publication No. 63, as follows: ‘‘ More 
recent soundings of 16 fathoms have been 
reported in latitude 17° 45’ north, longitude 
74° 39’ west, and also in latitude 17° 13’ 
north, longitude 74° 5S’ west.’’ We found 
803 fathoms within three miles of the former 
position, and 1,120 fathoms on the position 
assigned to the latter, demonstrating con- 
clusively that shoal-water does not exist in 
the positions named. It is highly probable, 
however, that much less water may be found 
west and north of this locality. 
From our last position we ran 15’ north- 
north-west, and sounded in 968 fathoms; then 
changed the course to north by east for 70’, 
sounding at intervals of about 15’, except in 
one case, when a sounding of the Blake 
intervened. A reference to this line will show 
the bottom to be very uneven in this locality ; 
and a depth of 262 fathoms in latitude 18° 18’ 
30” north, longitude 74° 53’ 30” west, about 10° 
south-east by east from Navassa, is something 
of a surprise. The water deepens to 1,040 
fathoms 15’ to the northward and eastward of 
the island, and to 1,347 fathoms 8’ north-west 
of Cape Dame Marie. From this point we 
ran east by north 60’, sounding at intervals of 
20’; the second cast giving us 1,974 fathoms, 
and the third, 342 fathoms, about 10’ to the 
westward of Gonave Island. From this point 
we steamed north by east 20’, where we found 
800 fathoms, and 20’ west by south 502 fathoms, 
which was, of course, a surprise. From this 
point we ran a line west-north-west 76’, sound- 
ing at intervals of 20’. The maximum depth 
found in the windward passage was 1,923 
fathoms. 
At 12.40 p.m., Feb. 25, we sounded in 1,639 
