36 
CBTJLSE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER 
CHAPTER III. 
Teneriffe (Canary Islands) to St. Thomas (West Indies). 
Leaving Teneriffe — Sight of the Peak — Commence section across the 
Atlantic — Daily soundings and trawlings —The results — Configu- 
ration of the bottom — In the Tropics — The officers of the ship — 
Life on board — Our daily doings — Description of the mode of 
sounding— The apparatus and appliances used — Taking serial 
temperatures — Dredging and trawling — Island of Sombrero in 
sight — Arrive and anchor at St. Thomas. 
As the evening of the 14th of February dawned, we 
left the bay of Santa Cruz, dispensing with steam 
when well clear of the land. The bright moonlight 
afforded us a capital view of the Peak, which frowned 
down in all its grandeur, clearly and sharply defined, 
and its head hoary with many a winter s snow. A 
fine favouring breeze was with us all night : at dawn 
of the following morning the island of Teneriffe was 
looming far on the distant horizon. 
From the present may be said to commence the 
regular work of the Expedition. A section was now 
to be carried right across the Atlantic from Teneriffe 
to Sombrero (a small island forming one of a group 
of the Virgin Islands), a distance of about 2700 
miles ; and along this line over twenty stations were 
fixed on at which it was decided to make careful 
