of sea waters, in different parts of the ocean , &c. 185 
On the other hand, Lieut. Parry, who had the command of 
the ship Alexander, in Captain Ross's expedition (and is 
now appointed commander of the second expedition to Baffin's 
Bay), fully confirms the observations made by Captain Ross, 
and also by Captain Sabine,* on board Captain Ross's ship; 
so as to place beyond all doubt the fact of Baffin's Bay being 
colder at the bottom than it is at the surface.-f* 
But although these points may be considered as satisfac- 
torily established, it must be admitted that the various modes 
* Captain Sabine has been so obliging as to furnish me with a table containing 
some of his observations on the subject, which will be found ir- the Appendix. 
f Captain Phipps also states in his Journal (Appendix, page 142), that he found 
the temperature in Baffin’s Bay, a? the depth of 680 fathoms, as low as 40 0 , the 
surface being 55 0 , and the air 66§°. 
Other observers have obtained, in other seas, analogous results. Thus, De Saus- 
sure having examined with great care the temperature of the Mediterranean at 
various depths, found it in two different places to be 10, 6° of Reaumur’s scale, or about 
56° Fah r. at the depth of 900 and 1800 feet, the surface being about 7 i° ; and he was 
induced to conclude that the temperature of the Mediterranean at great depths is uni- 
form, and not likely to be affected by the vicissitudes of the atmospheric temperature, 
or by changes of season (Voyage dans les Alpes, III. § 1351 and § 139*)- 
M.deHuMBOLT, whose attention was often directed to this subject, makes the fol- 
lowing curious observation. “ In the seas of the tropics we find that at great depths 
the thermometer mark 7 or 8 centesimal degrees (or about 45 0 Fahr,). Such is the 
result of the numerous experiments of Commodore Ellis and of M. Peron. The 
temperature of the air in those latitudes being never below 19 0 or 20 0 (or about 56° 
Fahr.), it is not at the surface that the waters can have acquired a degree of cold so 
near the point of congelation, and of the maximum of the density of water. The 
existence of this cold stratum in the low latitudes is an evident proof of the existence 
of an under- current, which runs from the poles towards the equator : it also proves 
that the saline substances, which alter the specific gravity of the water, are distributed 
in the ocean, so as not to annihilate the effects produced by the differences of tempe- 
rature.” (“ Personal Narrative of Travels,'' English edition, Vol. I. page 63.) 
MDCCCXIX. B b 
