NOTES 453 



of two hours' duration we reached a portion of the summit. From 

 this lofty peak, several hundred feet above the level of the sea, we 

 could see the capital city, Monrovia, and many of the towns on the 

 St. Paul river, lying apparently at its base. The gij;antic size of 

 the trees so impressed us that we took actual measurement of one 

 of them, which we found to be from 25 to 35 feet in circumference, 

 and we judge the trunk extended without a limb from 100 to 125 

 feet high. This abundance of timber suggests the possible wealth 

 of the lumber industry in this country. Strange this mountain is 

 still unexplored, and its summit is still the home of wild and dan- 

 gerous animals. Here also is the center of the hopes of the gold 

 concessionist. After many experiments they have been led to be- 

 lieve that the vein which will ultimately reward their endeavors 

 lies somewhere around these mountains. A number of mining ex- 

 perts are now there attempting to locate this vein," 



The Scotia Antarctic Expedition 



Through the courtesy of the Honorable, the Secretary of State, 

 the Smithsonian Institution is enabled to present the following brief 

 but interesting report on the progress of the Scotia Antarctic Expe- 

 dition, which has been submitted by the Honorable John Barrett. 

 United States Minister to Argentina : 



" In view of its probable interest in scientific circles, I have the 

 honor to submit the following brief report of the trip of the Scotia 

 Scientific Expedition to the Antarctic regions, the data for which 

 have just been given me by the leader of the expedition, Mr. W. S. 

 Bruce, F.R.S.E. 



" The expedition was organized by public subscription in Scot- 

 land and received very material assistance from all the leading Scot- 

 tish scientific societies, especially the Royal Scottish Geographical 

 Society, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and the Perthshire 

 Natural Science Society, as well as from several departments of 

 the British Government which supplied some valuable instruments 

 and charts. 



" The object of the expedition was a study of meteorology and 

 oceanography, both physical and biological, in the Antarctic regions. 

 The expedition was also to lend assistance, in case of necessity, to 

 Dr. Nordenskjold of the Swedish expedition, but no assistance was 

 necessary in view of the fact that relief had already been sent to 

 the Antarctic by the Argentine and Swedish Governments. 



" The personnel of the expedition was as follows: Mr. W.S. P.ruce, 

 F.R.S.G.S., Leader; Mr. R. C. Mossman, F.R.S.E., Meteorologist; 



