PASSAGE TO MANILLA. 
247 
good-bye and a pleasant cruise, at noon a move 
was made from the anchorage, the bands in the 
various vessels playing the farewell tunes, for there 
were a goodly number in port of English, French, 
Russian, Austrian, and Prussian nationalities. 
And now farewell to China, as we steam out 
through the Lye-moon Pass, and long before night- 
fall the long, low coast was out of sight. 
The passage from Hong Kong to Manilla was, as 
is usual at this time of the year, a most disagreeable 
one. On the morning of the 8th January the wind 
fell somewhat, and soundings were obtained, showing 
a depth of 2100 fathoms, with a bottom of pale grey 
ooze. A series of temperatures was taken at inter- 
vals of 50 fathoms down to 400 fathoms, and 100 
fathoms down to 1000 fathoms. 
This station was just about the middle of the China 
Sea, so that the serial observations were somewhat 
interesting. At 900 fathoms the temperature was 
36° Fahr., and this was maintained to the bottom ; 
so that a layer of water 1200 fathoms in thickness, 
at a uniform temperature of 36°, occupies the basin 
of the China Sea. From these results I believe the 
conclusion arrived at was that this sea is cut off 
by a barrier, which rises to a height of between 
800 and 900 fathoms below the surface, and so is 
prevented from communicating with the Antarctic 
basin. 
On the morning of the 10th the weather had 
