54
CORAL BANK.
[Chap. II.
1841
Zealand, which was the nearest land, and at so great a distance could hardly be supposed to have exercised any influence on the temperature of the sea.
In the afternoon we had light, variable winds from the S.E., accompanied by sharp squalls and showers of rain: many different kinds of marine animals were taken in the net, which the light breeze admitted of our towing astern, and it was interesting to recognize amongst them several of the same species with those we had taken in the tropical regions of the Atlantic. A large shoal of porpoises, and some immature albatross, were also seen.
Aug. 11.At 10 a.m. we struck soundings in four hundred fathoms, on a bank of sand and small black stones; the dredge was put overboard, and after dragging along the ground about half an hour it was found to contain some beautiful specimens of coral, corallines, flustræ, and a few crustaceous animals. The freshening breeze prevented our obtaining a larger number of specimens. The position of this bank is in lat. 33º 32′ S. long. 167º 40′ E., and about two hundred and twenty miles N. 80º W. from the Three Kings. The discovery of a coral bank rising from so great a depth towards the surface of the ocean, and probably in future ages to form an island between New South Wales and New Zealand, is a remarkable circumstance; and a careful determination of its exact size and the smallest depth of water over any part of it, by which means its annual