length of the shaft, which, as a matter of course, causes a current to flow from
one end to the other, in hauhng up, should there be the slightest inaccuracy in
the vahmlar fitting. In the event of the valve being jammed by the insertion of
mud or anything else between the spring and the side of the cylinder, the same
untoward effect would be produced. The material brought up is nevertheless of
interest, being the first example of the so-called deep-sea “ ooze.”
A boat was placed at my service today during two of the soundings. But
although the weather was fine, the surface was too rough to use my nets with
success. We saw several whales, some of very large size.
July 18.—The value of careful microscopic examination was shown in the case
of a sounding taken last night. A Brooke’s apparatus was let down and carried
away. A second, entirely new, was then employed. I t seemed to come up quite
clean and empty. At one point, however, a minute grey speck of mud was
discernible adherent to the cylinder. This was cautiously separated, and on
being placed under the microscope proved to be mud. The quantity brought
up was not quite one-eighth of a grain.
Shortly before noon, a most unusual gloom seemed to spread over sea and air
and sky. Overhead reigned a dense leaden tint, as if the sun had been put in
with Indian ink and then clumsily rubbed out. Around the horizon stretched
a murky solid-looking wall of mist or cloud which had the appearance of closing
in upon us on every side. The barometer indicated no unusual atmospheric disturbance
; but the Kittiwakes and Jäger Gulls, that had been hovering about
the ship, seemed as sorely puzzled at the prospect as we were who stood discussing
the peculiarities of Greenland weather. The Master, who was taking his meridian
altitude, possibly shared our perplexity. I f he did so, he certainly kept his own
counsels like a wise man, until he solved the mystery by bringing to our recollection—
that the eclipse was going on.
July 19.—Today I have seen a sight that outstrips the power of imagination
to picture, or words to describe. Rather less than a week ago we were
surrounded by the evidences of igneous cataclysms of stupendous magnitude.
We are now rapidly approaching a region whose surface has, for ages past, been
the theatre of glacial cataclysms quite as stupendous.
Early this morning the east coast of Greenland was sighted, at a point about
five-and-twenty miles distant from Cape Vallöe. The atmosphere was as clear
as crystal, the sea as unruffled as a mirror; whilst the blue tint presented by
both was of an intensity rarely equalled except in subtropical latitudes.
Before us stretched in a long line, extending as far on either side as the eye
could reach, the rugged mountain-ranges that hem in the eternal desolation
beyond. No gentle slope mingled with the outline of the innumerable icy peaks
which stood out against the horizon with an almost terrible distinctness, but
eveiywhere was to be seen the stem grandeur of a scene beside which the snowy
ranges of the Himalaya, majestic as they are, would appear subdued into
tameness. Between the ridges, the snows of centuries had already filled up the
chasms, and hid from view all but the most perpendicular faces of rock. No
portion of the shore-line was visible; yet its position and direction could be
determined by the differences in character of the fixed and floating ice.
From it, to within a short distance of the ship, extended a dense mass of closely
aggregated pack-ice, out of the midst of which, at intervals, huge bergs reared up
their glistening sides, whilst, floating clear of the pack, detached masses were to
be seen whose battered condition plainly told of many an Arctic blast and wave.
Some of the bergs were of gigantic size, and exhibited a regularity of form almost
unaccountable. Others, again, seemed as if they had been fretted and contorted
into every possible shape. The further we advanced, the more numerous the
bergs became; and in passing near them we could detect the exquisite colouring
of the water-washed portions as contrasted with the virgin whiteness of the upper
walls. Such tints of soft blue and green no other hand than Nature’s could
impart, such contrasts of light and shade where apparently there was no colour,
and such contrasts of tint where it was impossible to detect a shadow. But
the attempt to describe such a scene is vain. The eye may gaze upon it and
admire; but the soul, as if conscious of God’s presence, bows do-wn in adoration
and is speechless.
The total number of soundings taken between Iceland and the east coast of
Greenland was thirty. Assuming the entire distance between the two points to
be, in round numbers, 600 miles, this would give an average interval of twenty
miles from sounding to sounding. The mid-channel soundings, however, were
about fifty miles apart.
The greatest depth, namely 1572 fathoms, was encountered halfway across,
the descent being appai-ently very regular down to that point. As already noted,