5 G T H E A T L A N T IC . [CIIAP. I. CHAP. I.] B E RM U D A S TO M A D E IR A . 57
T I;' i - ' I ,
dark colouring-matter is interesting, as it gives an
absorption spectrum of three distinct hands.
On Eriday, July 11, we sounded in 2,025 fathoms,
376 miles to the west of Aladeira, the hottom-A'ery
Avell marked ‘ glohigerina ooze,’ and the bottom
temperature 5 C.
On the folloAAlng day the depth was 2,260 fathoms,
the bottom Globigerina ooze, and the recorded bottom
temperature l°-8 C. ; and on the 13th the depth was
2,675 fathoms, with the same very characteristic
Globigerina deposit, and a temperature of 2°'0 C.
The bottom tem^peratures in this section show some
irregularities, hut as these do not extend beyond
0°'2 C., they may arise from errors of ohseiwation,
due to the somcAvhat unsatisfactory mode of registering
of Six’s thermometers.
On the 14tli Ave sounded in 2,400 fathoms ; and
a serial temperature-sounding (Eig. 14) indicated an
almost to ta l disappearance of the upper stra tum of
abnormally Avarm Avater ; hut on the other hand the
isotherms hetAveen three and eight hundred fathoms
shoAA'ed very distinctly the excess of heat in a deeper
layer, to Avhich reference has already been made, and
Avhich, becoming more marked a little to the north-
Avard, gives so peculiar a character to the temperatu
re soundings in the Bay of Biscay. I n Eig. 15 the
curves constructed from the serial-soundings hetAveen
Bermndas and Aladeira s I i o a v very clearly the gradual
disappearance of the upper Avarm layer in passing to
the east Avar d ; and the appearance of the second
deeper hump near the coast of Africa. The curve
marked Avith the asterisk constructed from the
.Poi'ciqnne, Lightning, and Shearwater soundings is
introduced for comparison.
The weather for the last fcAV days had been remarkably
fine, Avith a pleasant light breeze. When we
turned up on deck on the morning of the 16th, Ave
Avere already at anchor in the beautiful hay of
Eunchal, and looking at the lovely garden-like island,
full of anticipations of a Aveek’s ramble among the
peaks and ‘ curráis ’ and the summer ‘ quintas ’
of our friends—anticipations in which Ave were
destined to be disappointed.
S .\N M IG U E L .