i6o 
FROM YOKOHAMA TO VALPARAISO. 
fathoms, or over four English miles. Apparently we just touched the southern extremity 
of the 4000-fathom hollow not long before discovered by the officers of the U.S.S. 
“ Tuscarora.” This is the greatest depression as yet ascertained the deepest wrinkle, so 
to speak, on the face of old Mother Earth. It extends for a distance of over 600 miles 
in a north-easterly direction, from the latitude of Inaboyesaki to that of Urup Island in 
the Kuril Archipelago, and follows the coast of Nipon and Yezo at an average distance of 
about 120 miles. This depression continues to near the western end of the Aleutian 
group, but its total length and breadth are as yet unknown. Further to the eastward, along 
the track of our ship, the depths were under 3000 fathoms, and on the 2nd of July bottom 
was found in only 2050 fathoms. This last-mentioned sounding marks the north-western 
extremity of the submerged area which, at its south-eastern end, culminates in the volcanic 
peaks of the Hawaiian group. 
The early part of our cruise by no means justified the character implied in the name 
“ Pacific,” as the weather was rather stormy, and the atmosphere damp and laden with mist. 
In consequence, we lost several trawls and about 10,000 fathoms of dredge-rope. Thanks to 
a few successful hauls, we obtained some animals new to science; but the most singular 
objects brought up from the bottom of the sea were a large quantity of round stones or 
nodules of various sizes, externally resembling potatoes. On examination, they were found to 
be composed of concentric layers of manganese and oxide of iron, which seemed to have 
accumulated round an original nucleus of a different substance. In one instance this nucleus 
proved to be an immense shark’s tooth, whence we may conclude that these nodules are 
formed at the bottom of the sea, but the exact manner of their formation is still involved 
in obscurity. 
On Sunday, the 4th July, we crossed the meridian of 180° long., not for the first time 
during the voyage, for about a year before, from the 10th to the 24th July, on our cruise 
from New Zealand to the Tonga Islands, we were sailing to the eastward of this meridian. 
On the present occasion, however, we had to change our date in order that our time should 
be behind instead of before Greenwich time. So the following day, which should have been 
Monday the 5th, was made Sunday the 4th ; and thus we had the rare experience of having 
two Sundays in one week. 
Among the vicissitudes of life at sea, there is one which, setting" aside danger to life 
and limb, is attended with moie discomfort thsn any other—it is when the se2 makes 211 
inroad into a sleeper s cabin. Tempted by the fine calm evening*, the unwary voyager, when 
going to rest, leaves the scuttle open. During the night the wind freshens, or the ship 
goes on another tack. Suddenly the unhappy victim awakens just in time to see a silvery 
cascade, faintly illumined by the light of the stars, leap in a broad stream over his couch, 
and transfoim the flooi of his little cabin into a pond several inches deep; and, even though 
a helping hand may be near to stop the deluge, he is condemned to spend the rest of the night' 
huddled up in some cornel of his little domain which perchance has been left dry, accepting 
his misfortune with the best grace he can command. 
