The Hawaiian gazette., 1875-08-04

"We hope to arrive in Japan in a few
days, and after leaving we shall have
nothing but sea work, and have to travel
the last $4,000 miles in the year left, ac-
cording to the present programme, before
reaching home"
The Japan Gazette of April 10th says :
"After leaving the Admiralty Islands
the surveying ship Challenger intended to
make Guam, an island of the Ladrone
group, but the continuous easterly and
north-easterly winds drove her to the
westward, and she passed somewhat more
than 100 miles to leeward of it. Several
very fine specimens of star and other fish
have been procured and preserved in spir-
its. In the analyzing-room there is an ex-
tensive assortment of bows, arrows, jave-
Inns, spears, &c, collected from the sava-
ges of the different groups at which the
vessel has touched. Included in the sci
entifc party on board, there is photo
grapher, a skillful artist, Judging from the
selection of portraits of savages, in all
manner of postures, and views of different
places which were shown to us. One
very good picture represents number of
one of the inhabitants of one of the Admi-
rally Islands, with Captain Thomson
seated in the centre of the group. We
were informed that the savages refused to
sit for their pictures unless the captain
would consent to be taken with them"
A brief report from Captain Mares, of
II. NJ. S. Challenger accompanied by two
maps,) has recently been laid before Par
lament. This Parliamentary paper is the
reprint of letter from Captain Mares,
written by that gentleman to His Excel
lency Sir Hercules Robinson, from We'll
lington IN. ~ on the End of July 1874,
and relates to "Soundings for the pro-
posed telegraph cable between New South
Wales and New Zealand" The tracings
on the two charts, or maps, appended by
Captain Mares to his communication, show
the soundings obtained by the Challenger
on line between Sydney and Cookies
Straits, with remarks on the condition of
the bottom with regard to its suitability
for cable. 1t appears that on the Aus
tralian coast the incline from the 100
fathoms' line (7 miles from the land) into
a depth of 81 900 fathoms at 81 miles dis
tance, was about in 20; the bottom con-
sisting of soft ooze. The slope is thence
to depth of 26, 900 fathoms, at distance
of 240 miles from the shores of this coun-
try. Here, at the extreme depth, for l40
miles, there is a mean temperature of 33
degrees. From the line thus attained to
the bottom slopes upwards, having gen.
tie incline, with soft ooze, for 400 miles,
until-at the distance of 1870 miles from
Sydney, and 335 miles from the entrance
to Cooks Straits-the Challenger OBJ
tained soundings in 100 fathoms. Dur
ing the remaining SS5 miles Gas indicated
in the second chart appended there were
only shallow soundings-4OO fathoms and
uuder-with hard but smooth bottom.
The total breadth of this comparatively
shallow expanse of water is believed to be
about 800 miles. The information thus
furnished by the scientific exploring ship
so important to Australia and New
Zealand-is an instructive and very pleas
ing illustration of the benefits incidently
arising out of the present intimate connec-
ton between these colonies and the
mother-country. The charts (authentica-
ted by the signature of Captain Nares)
were traced by Mr.. Fl. Swire, naviga-
ting sub-lieutenant attached to the Chal-
lenger.-Sydney Herald