196 NEWFOUNDLAND.

solid rock; its edges are abrupt, and deepen suddenly from twenty-five to ninety—five fathoms. In one place, laid down as rough fishing-ground, the soundings are only from ten to twenty fathoms. The Cape Race, or Virgin Rocks, near the inner edge of this bank, have been lately surveyed by one of his Majesty’s ships, and their position laid down correctly. These have always been considered dangerous, though seldom seen; and although there is about four fathoms on the shoalest, yet, during a heavy sea, a ship would be immediately dashed to pieces on them.

The best fishing-grounds on this bank are between the latitudes of 42° and 46° N. The outer bank, or Flemish Cap, appears to be a continuation of the grand bank, at a lower elevation. The soundings between them, for about 100 miles, are from 120 to 218 fathoms.

The outer bank lies within the longitudes of 44° 15’, and 45° 25’ ‘V., and the latitudes of 44° 10’ and 47° 30' N. The soundings on it are from 100 to 160 fathoms. From the great bank, to Nova Scotia, a continuation of banks succeed.

Those perpetual fogs that hang over the banks, and hover along the coasts of Newfoundland and Cape Breton, are caused by the meeting of the tro- pical waters brought along by the gulf stream, with the waters carried down by the influence of the winds from the polar regions.

These currents come in contact with each other on the banks of Newfoundland, and form those eter— nal fogs, by the difference of their temperatures, and