We spent the day making a traversing cruise, looking for the reported reef, but saw absolutely no indications of its presence in this position. Three successive soundings showed not less than 1,900 fathoms, with the same globigerinous ooze bottom we had found since leaving Gough Island. [Illustration: THE _QUEST_ ENTERING TABLE BAY Note the scarring of her timbers _Photo: J. A. Cook_] [Illustration: THE _QUEST_ IN DOCK AT CAPE TOWN Showing her size as compared with that of a modern sailing ship _THE QUEST_ _Photo: J. A. Cook_] [Illustration: THE SUMMIT OF ASCENSION ISLAND _Photo: Wilkins_] On June 7th we still traversed in search of the reef. We made another attempt to obtain soundings, but the wind and sea increased so much that it was impossible to keep the ship over the lead. Dell, at the Lucas machine, had a trying time, for he was continually being immersed. After 580 fathoms of wire had been run out I ordered him to reel in, and we headed off direct for Table Bay. The wind continued to increase in force, and, coming ahead, blew up from the south-east with heavy squalls of rain. On the 8th and 9th we had a strong gale in which the now much lightened _Quest_ flung herself about in the most lively manner, and much water came over our rails. On the 9th the _Quest_ excelled everything she had ever done in the way of rolling, and though we were by now well accustomed to her little ways, it was only with the greatest difficulty that we could move about the decks, passing quickly from one support to another. On this day Query was washed overboard. He had become so confident and sure-footed that we had long ceased to have any fears on his behalf. Dell had just finished skinning our second Tristan sheep, and was in process of hanging it to a stay on the bridge deck. Query, taking as usual an active interest in the proceedings, had followed him up. The ship was struck by a heavy sea, which caused her to throw herself violently to leeward, and Query was carried under the griping spar of the port life-boat. Jeffrey, who was on watch, immediately stopped the engines and attempted to wear ship, but in these heavy seas any attempt at a rescue was impossible. Poor Query! he must have wondered why the usual helping hand was not forthcoming, as it had so often been on previous occasions to help him out of his scrapes. His loss caused a real hurt. On the 10th conditions were much the same, with heavy squalls at intervals. The wind hauled a point, and at 2 P.M. we set the foresail and stopped the engines. We logged 5 knots as an average, and 6 to 7 during the squalls. In the middle watch at night I saw a perfect lunar rainbow stretching in a big arc across our bows.