LOG OF THE ARCTURUS 419 



June 29th. Heavy head wind and seas, progress pitifully slow, mak- 

 ing about three knots part of the day. From the boom-walk we can 

 see the crusted growth of weed and barnacles below the water-line every 

 time the ship rolls, and it is wonderful that we make any headway with 

 such a handicap. 



Noon position: Lat. 13° 41' N: Long. 77° 06' W. 



June 30th. Same sort of weather. Ship plowing bravely on. We 

 seem to be holding our own, anyway, but not much more. Evening 

 reading-aloud-with-discussion-parties have become a regular feature. 



Noon position: Lat. 14° 55' N: Long, 76° 08' W. 



July 1st. Calmer to-day, making better time. Sighted Navassa Light 

 this evening and passed it soon after midnight, in wonderful moonlight. 

 First birds seen, several laughing gulls, a shearwater, and three yellow- 

 billed tropicbirds. 



Noon position: Lat. 16° 46' N: Long. 74° 50' W. 



July 2nd. Passing between Cuba and Haiti. A perfect day, mak- 

 ing our best speed, which is not a dizzy one. Small amount of weed 

 seen, and worked from bow and pulpit collecting it. Three distinct 

 species found. In strong contrast with our experience in February and 

 March, almost every piece shelters fish and other animals. But all 

 the weed showed signs of long submersion, much decay and extensive 

 encrustations of dead animal life. 



Passed Cape Maysi Light, eastern point of Cuba, about 7 p. m. 



Noon position: Lat. 19° 24' N: Long, 74° 20' W, 



July 3rd. For two nights there has been a tremendous display of 

 sheet lightning, originating in three or four places and illuminating the 

 whole sky and sea. 



Perfect weather to-day, while we wound round islands and bays, 

 among innumerable shoals and lagoons and lights. The traffic was 

 heavy, four or five ships at a time in sight almost all day. Passed 

 between Crooked Island and Long Island in the middle of the day. 

 They are typical tropical islets of white sand beaches, scattered palms, 

 low vegetation on the slopes of dunes, a banded red-and-white light- 

 house and a lagoon of the clearest, greenest water imaginable. 



At 8 p. m. made our first haul in a long while, getting quantities of 

 weed and many species of small fish. Weed passing all day in very 

 small pieces. 



Noon position: Lat. 22° 09' N: Long. 74° 22' W. 



July 4th. Misguided patriots firing guns at dawn. Another lovely 

 day. Everyone taking turns in pulpit scooping up weed, of which there 

 are many small bits. Several species of fish, and a vast quantity of 

 larval ones, which so far we cannot identify. Every fish on our list so 

 far, (except of course a few Myctophids taken at night) may be con- 

 sidered as being at least indirectly associated with sargassum weed. 



