( 132 ) 



to prevent us getting into an anchorage. The whole conntry was very rough- 

 looking, mostly bare lava, with here and there a little low brush. Narborough was 

 nearly all barren, a few patches of mangroves near the shore, and a few small 

 patches of low, dry bushes. AVe hove-to for the night. 



Kor. 2C).— Got into Tagus t'ove shortly after 1 p.m. : iiuite a nice little 

 anchorage. Tlie cove was formed by part of aii old crater. Water very dee|) ; 

 anchorage about half-way in, lOfatlioms. We pulled along theshoro in the skiff some 

 way. Wo fiiund fresh water running down the sandstone in several places ; some 

 little holes in the rocks holding 10 to 20 gallons. It is said a vessel pnt in here 

 out of water, and, seeing the water oozing down, they cut the places in the rock to 

 catch it, thus obtaining a supply. Penguins and boobies very numerous, also black 

 terns {PtiJIinnii Hulmlaris) and small herons. Black iguanas quite plentiful. (Jiiite 

 li few land birds, mostly tleospiza. 



Nor. 27. — Early ashore collecting. Hills very steep, but walking good— mostly 

 smooth sandstone and some soil. We found land birds, except Gcospi.:a, rather 

 scarce. We got ten small birds and two hawks. We saw quite a lake right behind 

 the cove, separated from it only by a comparatively small ridge of lava. We got 

 back to the vessel by 10 a.m., and skinned birds all the afternoon. 



Nov. 28.— Rather a busy Sunday. We got up at 4.30 a.m., and at 5 had coffee. 

 Then we four started for the top of the mountain. We made very fair progress for 

 the first three miles, the walking being very open. As we proceeded higher the 

 brush thickened, and made it much slower progressing. Finally, when we "ot 

 half-way uj) in distance, and abont four-fifths in height, we made a halt. From 

 here Beck went on to the top, where he found a huge crater, about 1000 ft. deep 

 by 2 miles wide, mostly bare lava. The rest of us started back, taking a few birds 

 and one small snake. No tortoise seen. We got back to the vessel in time for 

 supper, Beck arriving later. 



Xoc. 20. — Skinned yesterday's birds, and loaded ammunition in the morning. 

 In the afternoon Hull and Beck went after sea birds in the skiff, while Harris and 

 myself went on shore. Harris intended to get some land birds. I collected some 

 20 lizards and large grasshoppers, a species which occurs throughout the group. I 

 noticed a few dragon-flies, but could not catch them. Beck and Hull collected a 

 number of black terns, shearwaters, gulls, boobies, etc. Harris had another chance 

 at a falcon, the one which he saw and shot at two days since. Unfortunately his 

 gun missed fire, and it escaped. 



Noi:. 30.— Skinned birds all the morning, doing about 40 fair-sized ones. 

 After dinner Harris and myself went along the shore in the skiff after urchins. 

 We found four species, all quite abundant. On the bottom, about 3 ft. under water 

 at low tide, we found some magnificent jairple urchins, with sjjines about 4 to in. 

 long. We found four species of star fish, and gathered a lot of sea urchins. Some 

 IS penguins taken later in the afternoon. 



Dec. 1.— Skinned penguins all day, each of us doing six (Hull, Beck, and 

 myself)— a long job, as the birds are incredibly fat. Wind was blowing strong in 

 the morning, reminding us of December gales at home. 



Dec. 2. — Harris, Hull, and Beck went over to the watering place, and thence 

 inland, collecting small birds. They returned at noon with 00 birds. I remained 

 on board and cleaned 175 or so urchins, and dried some star fish. In the afternoon 

 skinned birds. 



Dec. 3. — Skinned balance of birds, loaded ammnuition, and had a "eneral 



