( 103 ) 



Dec. 15.— Don't gain anything. Winds liglit, and drifting N.W. In the 

 afternoon Beck shot from the vessel an unrecorded gull. Feet and legs black ; bill 

 bluish, none back of tip ; eyes medium brown. ? . 



Dec. 16. — Same old story. Head S.E., drift N.W. 



Dec. 17. — Some wind a'l da}'. At noon Redundo Rocks bore S. instead of 

 S.E., as it has several days. 



Dec. IS. This morning I found an egg in Tortoise Pen. 4 p.m. finds us 

 6 or 8 miles due N. of Abingdon Island. At supper the Captain said we had better 

 get out of this. He fears being becalmed. I told him there was a month yet to 

 reach Tower. Saw three Culpepper terns last night, evidently bound for that island. 



Dec. 19.— Strong head wind all day. At 5.3U p.m. about In miles N.E. of S.E 

 point of Abingdon. 



Dec. 20.— Wind S.E., sailing E. Drifts N.E., sailing S.W., and drift N.W. 



Dec. 21. — Same thing. 



Dec. 22.— Same. 



Dec. 23. — Found at noon that we had made some j>rogress to the southward, 

 and were just east of Tower in long. SU W. Wind has been pretty steadily S.E. 

 since the 20th. This afternoon southerly. 



Dec. 24.— At noon, long. 88 ."il' : lat. 1" -.'s'. 



Dec. 25. — At 8 a.m. sighted Tower Island, 15 miles N.W. Anchored off the 

 north end at 3 p.m. Got cactus for tortoise. They were pretty hungry. 



