56 
CRUISE OF E.M.S. CHALLENGER. 
as may be required. The dredge or trawl being 
ready to go over, is triced up clear of the platform 
and hauled out by the tackle until well clear of the 
vessel’s side ; the rope is then let go and allowed to 
run out freely, the ship steaming slowly ahead ; from 
2^ to 3 hours are usually required to sink the dredge 
in this manner, when the depth is about 2500 fathoms? 
When it is once down, which is easily found by expe- 
rience, the vessel is allowed to drift or steams slowly 
on for some hours, the accumulator illustrating by the 
expansion and contraction how the dredge is being 
dragged over the inequalities of the bottom. Should 
it foul anything, the strain of the vessel immediately 
stretches the accumulators to their utmost, the line is 
at once eased out to prevent it carrying away, and 
various plans are tried to release it. If all turns 
out favourable, w T hen it has been on the bottom a 
sufficient time, the rope is brought to the deck-engine 
and the dredge hove up. When it appears above the 
surface, there is usually great excitement amongst 
the “ Philos,” who are ever on the alert with forceps, 
bottles, and jars, to secure the unwary creatures who 
may by chance have found their way into the net. 
Such a sight when it is really inboard ; here we 
have no lack of wonderful things, strange-1 ooking 
fish, delicate alcyonarian zoophytes, sea-urchins, star- 
fish, besides shell, mud, &c. 
During the time of sounding and dredging, the 
ship’s company not specially employed on these 
