I enjoy it very much.
'June 12.
'5.30 A.M. - Out of sight of land: about thirty nautical miles in
the hold; the wind rising a little; experiments being made for a
fault, while the engine slowly revolves to keep us hanging at the
same spot: depth supposed about a mile. The machinery has behaved
admirably. Oh! that the paying-out were over! The new machinery
there is but rough, meant for an experiment in shallow water, and
here we are in a mile of water.
'6.30. - I have made my calculations and find the new paying-out
gear cannot possibly answer at this depth, some portion would give
way. Luckily, I have brought the old things with me and am getting
them rigged up as fast as may be. Bad news from the cable. Number
four has given in some portion of the last ten miles: the fault in
number three is still at the bottom of the sea: number two is now
the only good wire and the hold is getting in such a mess, through
keeping bad bits out and cutting for splicing and testing, that
there will be great risk in paying out. The cable is somewhat
strained in its ascent from one mile below us; what it will be when
we get to two miles is a problem we may have to determine.
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