352 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
REPORT ON AMERICAN DREDGrINGrS IN THE 
CARIBBEAN SEA. 
By ALEXANDER AGASSIZ.* 
I JOINED the Blake at Washington, on November 27, 1878, 
for a second dredging cruise. According to your instruc- 
tions, we intended to proceed to Nassau, and there devote a few 
days to dredging and sounding, in order to trace the connection 
between the fauna of the northern extremity of the Bahama 
Banks and that of the Straits of Florida. Owing to rough 
weather this was not deemed prudent, and we were compelled 
to put into St. Helena Sound, and, for the same reason, when 
off Jupiter Inlet, instead of crossing the Grulf Stream to make 
Nassau, it was thought best to put into Key West. From there, 
when the weather moderated, we started from Kingston, Jamaica, 
calling at Havana for the purpose of making a couple of hauls 
on the Pentacrinus ground discovered by Captain Sigsbee off 
Morro Light. We made two casts of the dredge in 175 to 400 
fathoms, and obtained a few specimens of Pentacrinus. We 
kept on along the northern shore of Cuba, through the Old 
Bahama Channel, without stopping to sound or dredge, Mr. 
Pourtal&s having in former years dredged and sounded, in the 
Bibb, Acting Master Platt, U.S.N., over the greater part of this 
line. 
At the eastern end of the Old Bahama Channel we ran a 
line of dredgings and soundings across from Caya Crux to Lobos 
Light. In the deepest part of the channel we found only 500 
fathoms, although the hydrographic maps indicated 900 fathoms ; 
no bottom. This is an excellent example of the uncertainty of 
the old method of sounding with hemp rope, even in moderately 
deep water, when there is a strong current, such as we found 
here. 
* The following report of the dredging operations of the U. S. Survey 
steamer Blake, during the winter of 1878-79, contains so great an amount 
of interesting information that we have thought it well worth reprinting for 
the benefit of the readers of the “ Popular Science Review.” 
