NARRATIVE OF THE CRUISE. 
941 
freshened somewhat. The trade was finally lost on the 30th parallel, and then a westerly 
breeze was experienced for two days, but after that the wind hung persistently to the 
northward, so that the coast of Spain was made in the latitude of Vigo on the 20th 
May, and the ship put in there to replenish the stock of fuel. 
On the 3rd May, in lat. 26° 21' N., long. 33° 37' W., a sounding was obtained in 2965 
fathoms, the bottom being a red clay containing in the surface layers 12 per cent, of 
carbonate of lime, which consisted of a few shells of the larger pelagic Foraminifera and 
their broken fragments. The mineral particles did not exceed 0T mm. in diameter, and 
consisted of a few grains of felspar, quartz, hornblende, magnetite, volcanic glass, and 
manganese peroxide. The principal part of the deposit consisted of flocculent clayey 
matter with exceedingly minute fragments of minerals, Racliolarians and Diatoms. 
On the 6th May, in lat. 32° 41' N., long. 36° 6' W., another sounding was obtained in 
1675 fathoms, the deposit being a G-lobigerina ooze containing 91 per cent, of carbonate of 
lime, which consisted of pelagic Foraminifera, Coccoliths, Rhabdoliths, and a few fragments 
of Pteropods and Echinoderms. The residue, after the removal of the carbonate of lime 
by weak acid, resembled in most respects the red clay found at greater depths in the same 
region of the Atlantic. 
The Challenger left Vigo on the 21st May, experiencing N.W. winds across the Bay 
of Biscay, and reached Spithead at 9 p.m. on the 24th May. On the 25th the ship 
proceeded to Sheerness, was carefully swung to ascertain the errors of the compass and 
dipping needle, and the difference between her magnetic character after the voyage and 
that recorded previous to starting three and a half years before. Finally the crew was paid 
off at Chatham on the 6th June 1876. 
Sir C. Wyville Thomson says : — “ Writing now after the Commission has come to a 
close, I think I am justified in saying that the objects of the Expedition have been fully 
and faithfully carried out. The instructions of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, 
founded upon the recommendations of a committee of the Royal Society, were followed 
so far as circumstances would permit. We always kept in view that to explore the 
conditions of the deep sea was the primary object of our mission, and throughout the 
voyage we took every possible opportunity- of making a deep-sea observation. We 
dredged from time to time in shallow water in the most remote regions, and we have in 
this way acquired many undescribed animal forms ; and collections of land animals and 
plants were likewise made on every available occasion ; but I rather discouraged such 
work, which in our case could only be done imperfectly, if it seemed likely to divert our 
attention from our special object. 
“Between our departure from Sheerness on the 7th December 1872, and our arrival 
at Spithead on the 24th May 1876, we traversed a distance of 68,890 nautical miles, and 
at intervals as nearly uniform as possible, we established 362 observing Stations.” 
The accompanying synoptical table of the voyage may prove useful for reference. 
