618 
THE YOYAGE OE H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 
Samboangan to Ilo Ilo. 
As the Expedition visited Samboangan again in February 1875, an account of the 
place is deferred until that portion of the Narrative is reached (see p. 655). 
On the 26th October, at 6 a.m., the ship left Samboangan for Ilo Ilo. After passing 
through Basilan Strait, trawling and sounding operations were carried on for a few hours 
at its western entrance. On leaving as on entering this strait it was found that the 
bearings taken from the ship disagreed in fixing the position on the chart. A re-survey 
of this part of the Philippine Islands would be appreciated by the navigator. 
On the 27th, at 9 a.m., a sounding and temperatures were taken in the Sulu Sea in 
2550 fathoms (see Sheet 31). The temperature observations here showed that this sea 
was cut off at the depth of 400 fathoms from the surrounding waters, the temperature 
being 50°’5 at all depths beneath 400 fathoms. A similar result was obtained in the 
following January a little to the south of this position, where a depth of 2225 fathoms 
was obtained. At 10 p.m. Negros Island was seen on the starboard bow, and at midnight 
its extremities bore N.E. ^ N. and E. \ S. 
On the 28th, at daylight, Mount Malaspina bore N. 67° E., and Point Sojoton 
S. 85° E., showing a set of 10 miles N.W. by N. since noon yesterday. From this 
position the ship was steered towards Bondulan Point, and at a little before noon stopped, 
intending to obtain a haul of the trawl if the water were shallow, but finding no bottom 
with 270 fathoms of line, the vessel proceeded towards Ilo Ilo, steering in with Bondulan 
Point N.E. f- N., until the clump of trees on the north side of Ilo Ilo was distinguished, 
when, keeping them half their own breadth open of the point, soundings of from 10 to 6§ 
fathoms were obtained, between Port Santa Ana, and the point - next south of Point 
Cabalic ; after which deep water was found until opposite the Sandy Bay, one-third the 
distance from Cabalic to Bondulan Point ; when, edging out a little towards the cathedral 
(a large building with two towers on its northwest side), the fort was brought open of 
Bondulan Point, which was rounded with Point Dedap in line with the southwest angle 
of the fort; then, steering for the anchorage, the ship came to in 10 fathoms, off" the 
spit on which the fort stands, with the southeast angle of the fort S. 75° W., and the 
right extremity of the spit N. 2° W., a cable’s length from the shore. 
The surface nets yielded some rich hauls in the Sulu Sea, Amphipods being especially 
abundant. The Rev. T. R. R. Stebbing, who is preparing a Report on the Amphipoda, 
gives the following notes : — 
The Amphipoda . — “ In this group the Expedition has brought to light a large number 
of new species. This remark applies especially to the Amphipoda Gammarina, for the 
Hyperina, which are very numerous, have not yet been examined with the care required 
to determine whether the species are for the most part new or chiefly such as are already 
