194 Land Magnetic Observations, 1914-20 



M. Merlet, Lieutenant-Governor of the Tchad Territory; and by M. Thomann, Lieu- 

 tenant-Governor of Gabon, were of very great assistance to me in the carrying out of 

 the work. 



H. R. Schmitt, on Magnetic Work in Peru, Chile, Bolivia, and Brazil, March to 



November 1914. 



The work was executed in accordance with instructions dated February 26, 1914, 

 and supplementary instructions dated March 4, 1914. I left Washington, D. C., on 

 March 6, and began field work at Lima, Peru, on March 25. Field work ended at Pin- 

 heiro, Brazil, on October 29, and I returned to Washington November 27. The instru- 

 mental equipment used throughout the trip consisted of universal magnetometer No. 19, 

 a pocket chronometer, 3 watches, and other accessories. 



A brief outline of the itinerary followed on this expedition is as follows: After brief 

 stops at Kingston, Jamaica, and Callao, Peru, I reached Arica on April 2, and thence 

 traveled by the new railway by way of La Paz and Oruro to Changolla, Bolivia. From 

 this point the overland trip by coach was made to Cochabamba, whence Puerto Suarez, 

 Bolivia, on the Paraguay River, was reached by mule pack-train, and a 6-mile ride by 

 launch brought us to Corumba, Brazil. Thence I ascended the Paraguay River to Sao 

 Luiz de Caceres, going by mules overland to Matto Grosso on the Guapore" River. The 

 route next lay down the Guapor6, the Mamore, and the Madeira Rivers to Manaos on 

 the Amazon. The work was completed by observations at Pinheiro, near Belem, Para. 



On the way from New York to Arica, Peru, I occupied the magnetic station at King- 

 ston, Jamaica, established by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, and re- 

 occupied the one at Lima and the one on San Lorenzo Island, off Callao. From Arica, 

 Chile, I traveled by the new railway to Changolla, Bolivia, by way of La Paz, and 

 secured as many stations as possible along this line, but as there are no towns along the 

 railway, the country being mostly desert with few inhabitants, I had to spend the night 

 on the bare floor of the small station houses on several occasions and go without food. 

 A supply of food and a camp outfit are necessary if one desires to make many stops along 

 this line of railway. After going by rail from La Paz to Changolla by way of Oruro, the 

 railway was left and the journey to Cochabamba was made by coach. 



Preparations were made at Cochabamba for the trip to Puerto Suarez. In addition 

 to provisions and camp equipment purchased in Cochabamba, I obtained good mules 

 to be used to Santa Cruz. The first part of the journey, Cochabamba to Santa Cruz, 

 was made in 15 days, including the time spent in establishing 4 stations. The trail on 

 this part of the trip, though fairly well constructed, has many very steep ascents and 

 descents to be made every day in getting over the eastern Andean mountain ranges. A 

 station was established at Santa Cruz and mules hired for the next part of the journey, 

 Santa Cruz to Puerto Suarez, which began on May 25 and ended with arrival at Puerto 

 Suarez on June 20, a total of 27 days being consumed in traveling and establishing 8 

 stations. The trail was found to be always a broad one, and in the height of the dry 

 season it was in good traveling condition with the exception of a number of short stretches. 

 In the dry season, however, there is much inconvenience due to lack of drinking water, 

 and precautions against surprise and attack by the Indians are then also necessary. It 

 is advisable to carry a rifle within convenient reach and where it can be seen by the 

 Indians. 



A launch was taken for the 6-mile trip from Puerto Suarez, Brazil, to Corumba, 

 Brazil, where the C. I. W. station was reoccupied and arrangements made for the trip 

 to Sao Luiz de Caceres. Prices in Corumba and Matto Grosso are much higher than in 

 Bolivia, with wages for labor correspondingly high, and as a consequence travel in this 

 region is very expensive. After consulting those who had made the trip, it seemed to be 



