092 
fathoms, green sand, latitude 19° 45’ north, 
longitude 75° 4’ west, took serial temperatures, 
and at 2.40 p.m. put the trawl over, veering to 
2,400 fathoms, landing it on deck again at 
6.55 p.M., having made a successful haul. 
There were a variety of sponges, some very 
large shrimp, one fish, numerous shells, small 
crabs, holothurians, and an interesting octopus, 
the arms all of the same length, and connected 
by amembrane. ‘The color was cherry-red on 
its head, changing gradually darker towards 
the extremities. 
Feb. 27, we stood out of the harbor of Santi- 
ago de Cuba, and made ten hauls of the tangles 
in search of Pentacrinus. Several hauls were 
made before we succeeded in getting a speci- 
men: finally, however, we procured four fine 
ones in perfect condition. 
We next ran a line south-south-east 93’, in 
the direction of Navassa, sounding at inter- 
vals of 10’ to 20’. The maximum depth, 2 2,210 
fathoms, was found 44’ from Santiago de Cuba 
lighthouse, gradually decreasing to 870 fathoms 
about 6’ from Navassa, from which point we 
ran a line west 30’, sounding at intervals of 15’ ; 
the first cast giving 1, 015 fathoms, and the 
second 620 fathoms, 7’ east from Formigas 
banks. A line was then run south-south-west 
50’, sounding at intervals of about 12’. The 
greatest depth, 1,153 fathoms, was found mid- 
way between the banks and Morant Point, the 
last cast on this line giving 450 fathoms, 10’ 
east-south-east from the light, which was in full 
view. Having located the ship accurately with 
reference to the above-mentioned light, we 
started ahead at 4 A.m., running a line east- 
south-east, sounding at short intervals, towards 
a shoal marked as follows on hydrographic- 
office chart No. 35: ‘ Eight shoal.’ We found 
21 fathoms on the northern end of the shoal, 
east-south-east about 32’ from Morant-Point 
lighthouse, inlet 17° 44” north, longitude 75° 
50’ west. It is about 9’ in length north-north- 
east and south-south-west, and from 3’ to 4’ 
in width. The least water found was 174 
fathoms. 
Leaving the southern edge of the bank, we 
ran a line west by north 58’, sounding at vari- 
ous intervals. The depth of water found, at the 
first cast south-east of an 18-fathom sounding 
on the edge of the bank, was 360 fathoms, in- 
creasing to 838 fathoms 34’ to the westward ; 
the greatest depth on the line, 875 fathorael 
being reached 4’ farther to the westward, from 
400 to 700 fathoms being found throughout the 
remainder of the line. “Port-Roy al light bore 
north-north-west 7’ distant, at the last sound- 
ing on the above line, which gave 484.fathoms. 
SCIENCE. 
Another and the last cast before entering port 
gave 400 fathoms, 2’ north-west by north from 
the position above mentioned, and quite near 
the bank. Having passed quarantine, we went 
on to Kingston, where we anchored. 
During our stay here, we had several dry days 
in succession, — an unusual occurrence since 
our arrival in the Caribbean. The naturalists 
were busily engaged in collecting while in port, 
and found it excellent ground, the best, in many 
respects, that we have found in the West Indies. 
On the morning of the 11th of March, we 
again proceeded to sea. Arriving near the 
edge of the bank, we put the tangles over ; but, 
unfortunately, they fouled on the coral bottom, 
and were lost. We then ran a line of sound- 
ings south 15’, sounding at varying intervals, 
crossing the centre of California bank in 26 
fathoms. At 6.40 p.m. we sounded in 966 
fathoms, sand, latitude 17° 36’ 10” north, longi- 
tude 76° 46’ 5” west, and put the trawl over, 
landing it on the bottom at 8.20, and on'deck 
at 10 p.m., after a successful haul. One rather 
remarkable specimen was a large earthenware 
jar, with its surfaces pretty well covered with 
worm-tubes. 
We steamed about 5’ to the north and east 
during the haul, and, starting from that point, 
ran a line directly to Morant Cays, east-south- 
east 42’, sounding at short intervals. At 
11.45 a.m., March 12, anchored in 4 fathoms, 
under the lee of north- ‘east Cay. At 8.35 p.m. 
we turned our head to the southward, and ran 
a line south by east about 140’, toa group of 
negative soundings, in the midst of which we 
cast the trawl in 2,295 fathoms. We then 
continued the line about south-south-east, in 
the direction of Santa Marta, and, finding no 
indications of shoal-water, passed about 12’ 
to the westward of Santa-Marta lighthouse, 
sounding at frequent intervals as we approached 
the coast; then stood off north-west 35’, 
sounding at intervals of 15’; then south for the 
mouth of the Magdalena River and Savanilla, 
anchoring off the latter place at 8.28 A.M., 
March 16. 
The sounding-wire parted several times dur- 
ing the night of the 11th, and morning of the 
12th, in a most unaccountable manner ; losing 
either lead or sounding-rod, and a thermometer, 
with more or less wire each time. We were 
inclined to blame the splices at first, but soon 
found that we must look farther for the cause. 
In the mean time, we changed wheels, leaving 
the solution of the mystery until the following 
day, when, after reeling the wire off, the drum 
was found to be collapsed. The metal was nei- 
ther broken nor cracked ; but the centre simply 
[Vou. IL, No. 6% 
