CHAPTER II.
M A D E IR A TO TH E COAST OF R R A Z IL .
Return to Madeira.—The Black Coral. — Ophiacantha chelys.—
Ophiomusium pulchellum.—Geratias tiraiioscopus.—The Island of
San Vicente.—Porto Praya.—The Island of San lago.—A Ped-
coral Fishery.—The Guinea Current.—Balanoglossus.—Luminosity
of the Sea.—Pyrocystis.—^Young Flounders.—Bathycrinus aldri-
chianus.—Hyocrinus hethelliamis.—St. Paul’s Rocks.—Fernando
Voronha.—Low bottom temperatures under the Equator.—
Ceratotrochus diadema.—Pentacrinus madearanus.—Dredging at
moderate depths.—Arrival at Bahia.
A p p e n d i x A.—Table of Temperatures observed between Madeira and
Bahia during the months of July, August, and September, 1873.
A p p e n d i x B.—Table o f Serial Temperature Soundings down t o
500 fathoms, taken between Madeira and Station 102 (Lat.
3° 8' V., Long. ID 49' W.).
A p p e n d i x C.—Table of Serial Temperature soundings down to 200
fathoms, taken between Station 102 and Bahia.
A p p e n d i x D.—Specific Gravity observations taken between Madeira
and Bahia during the months of July, August, and September,
1873.
W hen aa^ reached Aladeira Ave found, to our great
regret, th a t shortly before our arrival there had been
a rath e r severe epidemic of small-pox in the toAvn ;
and as Captaiu Nares thought it imprudent to give
general leaA'e, onr stay was greatly abridged. One or
two of the officers went on shore and enjoyed a short
CI IAP. 11.] M A D E I R A TO T H E COAST OF B R A Z I L . G 3
ramble over the lovely island, now in the height of its
summer beauty ; and a fcAV of our friends visited ns
on hoard while aa^c were taking in our stock of fresh
provisions, and made our cabins gorgeous Avith offerings
of floAvers and fruit.
We left Eunchal on the evening of the 17th of
July, and proceeded toAvards San Vicente in the Cape
Verde group. We took a temperature-sounding on
the 18th, and on the 19th sounded and dredged in
1,125 fathoms, with a bottom of volcanic sand, a
fcAV miles to the west of the island of Palma. The
dredging Av.as fairly successful, yielding one or tAV'o
nndescribed echinoderms. On the evening of the 20th
Ave AAvre approaching the position of Station 3, Avhere
Ave had brought up the coral coated with manganese
on the 18th of Eebrnary, and Ave AAvre anxious to have
another cast as nearly as possible on the same spot in
the hope of perhaps getting some of the coral alive, or
in some Avay clearing up the question of its conditions.
On the folloAving day we Avere a little too far to the
westward, so we steamed up near the desired point
and sounded again upon th e ridge in 1,675 fathoms,
and p u t over the dredge. The event showed th a t
Ave Avere not far out of our reckoning, for the dredge
brought up a quantity of fragments of the coral, and
several other animals identical Avith those procured
in the previous haul. None of th e coral Avas alive,
hoAvever, and the pieces were quite similar in every
respect to those AAffiich Ave had got before, so th a t no
further light was thrown upon th e curious question
of its occurring in th a t peculiar semi-mineralized
state at so great a depth.
I give here a preliminary notice, under the name of