ai'rived on the morning of the 6th at Sydney Harbour, Cape Breton. Having completed
coaling, the ship started on her return voyage on the 12th inst., and, taking
an inner line of soundings, commencing in lat. 52° 44' N. parallel with the southeastern
coast of Labrador, this evening once more came to anchor at Indian
Harbour.
Leaving Indian Harbour on the 17th September, soundings were taken from the
entrance of the inlet, in a northerly direction, along the 57 th degree of latitude,
as far as 55“ 33' N. At this point a sudden increase of depth occurs, from 148 to
950 fathoms in a distance of seven miles; being at the rate of 687 feet per mile,
or somewhat less than the Valencia dip. These several lines of soundings prove
that a shoal extends north and south of Hamilton’s Inlet for three degrees of
latitude, and for a distance of at least a hundred miles in an easterly direction
from its entrance. Hence this shoal would appear to be a continuation of the
one referred to by Sir L C. Boss* as ocom-ring off Labrador, in lat. 57° 30' N.,
and stated by that distinguished arctic navigator to stretch parallel with the
coast for a considerable distance both north and south of the latitude of Okak,
a Moravian settlement to the southward of Cape Mugford. Sir James Boss
mentions that the depth of water in that neighbourhood is 60 fathoms, and that
the shoal is marked by the line of icebergs which were grounded on it on both
the occasions on which he crossed it. In approaching the coast and in our passage
outwards from it, icebergs were seen, but not in any great numbers. To
the southward of Labrador, the soundings, both as regards depth of water and
nature of bottom, would seem to indicate that this shoal is continuous with the
great bank of Newfoundland; and whilst the material that forms it northward
of the 53rd degree of latitude is derived from the vast outpourings of Hamilton’s
Inlet and the rivers that flow into its western extremity, the more southerly
portion, namely, that which extends from the 53rd degree of latitude to the
most southern limit of the Newfoundland shoal, is derived partly from the same
source and partly from the outpourings of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
But although, as I have already stated, there is every reason to believe the
shoal referred to by Sir James Boss, as stretching north and south of latitude
67° 30' N., is continuous with the shoal determined by the ‘ Bulldog ’ soundings,
inasmuch as there is nothing known of the coast-formation or the course of
• ‘ Pailiamentaxy Report to inqaire into the Construction of Telegraph-CaMcs,’ p. 188, 1861.
the ai'ctic drift which could suggest the probability of an intermediate deep
channel, it must be borne in mind that the depth between lat. 55° 30' N.
and 57° 10' N. (that is, allowing the southward extension from the latitude of
Okak as determined by Sir J. Boss’s evidence) remains to be ascertained, and that
a deep channel may exist in this interval. But as the two deep soundings recorded
by the ‘ Bulldog’ occur near the 57th degree of latitude, and the coast-line falls
back to the north-westward, in the direction of Okak, it is probable that the
shoal-water margin ranges in a similar direction, and, accordingly, that the two
soundings in 950 and 1190 fathoms were to the eastward of it.
Sept. 29..—Julianshaab. A continuance of bad weather and several heavy
gales have protracted to thirteen days a voyage which could easily have
been performed in two ; and hence the ‘ Bulldog ’ only succeeded in reaching
Julianshaab this evening. Since we deviated, on the 17th inst., from the shoal
in the 57th degree of west longitude, three soundings have been taken—the first
in 1938 fathoms, the second in 2000 fathoms, and the third in 1912 fathoms,
bottom being brought up tmce.
Yesterday, during a severe gale, a swallow (Hirundo nifws) was blown on
board and caught. From the direction of the wind, it is probable that the bird
must have come from the Labrador coast, the nearest point of which is distant
540 miles. On being brought down to the ward-room, it seemed to relish the
warmth and rest, and did not hesitate to perch on the finger held out to it.
Under the influence of extreme cold, fatigue, and hunger, all instinctive fear
seemed to be eclipsed; and on being left alone after a while, the poor little
animal ensconced itself under the globe of a lighted moderator-lamp. Putting its
head beneath its wing, it soon fell asleep, dreaming perhaps of green fields
and summer skies it was never more destined to enjoy on this side the Styx.
Today we passed through a vast quantity of drift and berg-ice, and, at a
distance of about thirty miles from the coast, fell in with a much larger number of
bergs than we had previously seen congregated together. At one time I counted
upwards of eighty, many of which were of very large dimensions. Owing to
the sea being so thickly covered, the water was perfectly calm, and the ‘ Bulldog ’
threaded her way through the icy labyrinth with perfect ease and safety. About
sunset we made the long rocky spit which bounds the southern angle of the
entrance to Julianshaab Fiord, and in an hour more reached the anchorage.
H 2