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52

Deep sea dredging on the eastern coast was inaugurated May 17, 1867, in the region of the Gulf Stream off the southern coast of Florida, by the steamer Corwin, Count L.F. de Pourtalis being in charge of the dredging operations. Yellow fever soon breaking out on board the steamer, but few hauls were made the first season, the depths [[strikethrough]] of [[/strikethrough]] ranging from 90 to 350 fathoms; but, according to the report of Count Pourtalis, "the highly interesting fact was discovered that animal life exists at great depths, in as great a diversity and as great an abundance as in shallow water." The same series of dredgings was continued during 1868 and '69, in the Florida straits between Cape Florida and the Tortugas, the investigations being carried down into depths of 700 fathoms. During 1871 and '72, the Coast Survey steamer Hassler made its famous cruise from the Atlantic coast of the United 

Transcription Notes:
Part of the passage "'...animal life exists...in shallow water.'" is underlined word by word.