THE CAPTAIN'S REPORT 



13 



17 ocean stations, including townets and plankton pump; 

 206 sonic depths; 35 balloon flights; 9evaporation series; 

 and one biological station. This summary of work done 



speaks for the smoothness and efficiency with which the 

 members of the party, individually and as a whole, are 

 carrying out the work of the expedition. 



PAPEETE, TAHITI TO PAGO PAGO AND APU, SAMOA, MARCH 20 TO APRIL 6, 1929 



The Carneg ie left Papeete at 15h 35m on March 20 

 under herown power, heading to the northward of Moorea. 

 The next day the wind hauled ahead and we were obliged 

 to proceed southward of Huaheine and Raiatea islands. 

 Soundings showed new shoals south of this group, as also 

 south of Mapehaa Island, farther to the westward. Be- 

 fore the western islands of the Society Group were 

 cleared, it was necessary to use the engine on several 

 occasions because of light and variable winds. The en- 

 gine was operated also for three days continuously be- 

 fore arriving at Pago Pago on April 1, 19h 30m. The 

 easterly trade wind was entered March 24, and this 

 breeze continued until March 28. The usual program of 

 work was carried out daily. 



Considerable time was spent in trying to operate the 

 new Coast and Geodetic Survey sounding machine, which 

 had been installed on the port side of the quarter-deck, 

 near the meteorological shelter house, during the stay 

 in Papeete. The machine is built so that the drum is 

 floating and must be moved along its axis to engage 

 either the brake or the clutch. When the vessel rolls, 

 the tension on the brake is changed by the movement of 

 the drum so that the speed of paying out cannot be kept 

 vmder control. When paying out on the clutch, letting the 

 weight of the snapper-type bottom sampler unreel the 

 drum against the motor, the momentum of the drum be- 

 comes too great for the speed at which the snapper is 

 going down and the wire slackens and kinks. To stop it. 



the drum must be moved away from the clutch, through 

 neutral or no control, across to engage the brake, and 

 hence is stopped with a jerk which parts the wire. The 

 drum as received did not hold more than 4700 meters of 

 wire; in Apia it was machined out to hold 7000 meters. 

 This experimental work was very destructive of bottom 

 samplers and wire, so that no bottom samples were ob- 

 tained during this part of the trip. 



On March 26 one of the air tanks in the engine room 

 exploded, the detached end breaking through the bulkhead 

 into the gasoline tank room; the tank itself flew aft out of 

 its cradle, and fell against the air compressor. Fortu- 

 nately no one wis injured and none of the instrumental 

 equipment was seriously damaged, except for the sever- 

 ing of several electric cables. The compressor was 

 operating, but the relief or safety valve was in good 

 working order apparently, so it was not a case of over- 

 charge but of weakness in the tank. 



The following observations were made during this 

 part of the cruise: 20 declination measurements, 6 in- 

 clination and intensity measurements, 6 ocean stations, 

 63 sonic depths, 10 pilot-balloon flights, 1 atmospheric- 

 electric series, 3 potential gradient records, and 2 evap- 

 oration series. 



After taking on gasoline, oil, and kerosene at Pago 

 Pago, the Carnegie left for Apia April 5, arriving the 

 next morning, going the eighty miles under engine power. 



APIA, SAMOA TO GUAM TO YOKOHAMA, JAPAN, APRIL 20 TO JUNE 7, 1929 



After completing the work of intercomparing the 

 ship's magnetometer and earth inductor with those of the 

 Apia Observatory, standardizing deflector 5, and carry- 

 ing out simultaneous ship and shore potential gradient 

 observations, the ship sailed from Apia April 20 en route 

 for Guam and proceeded northward toward the Union Is- 

 lands, with light and variable winds. When only sixty- 

 five miles from Apia, two stowawayfe came on deck out 

 of the forepeak. It was decided to return to Apia and 

 land the boys back home to avoid later trouble and ex- 

 pense, since there was no place for them on board. 



Soon after leaving Apia the second time, the wind 

 became favorable and the engine was stopped. During 

 the following week the winds were variable and calms 

 were frequent until April 28, when the northeast trade 

 wind began. This breeze continued without interruption 

 until Guam was reached on May 20. The regular daily 

 program was carried out in spite of frequent rain squalls, 

 which, however, were usually of short duration. The 

 date May 6 was omitted, owing to the crossing of the 

 180th meridian of longitude. 



Wake Island was sighted early on May 11 and passed 

 within one-quarter mile of Peacock Point, the southeast 

 point of the island. Observations checked the position 

 given for the island by the U. S. S. Tanager expedition of 

 1923. The highest point is only twenty-one feet above 



sea level; there are no coconut tr^es, only low-spreading 

 umbrella trees and shrubs. Numerous birds were flying 

 about. No signs of life or of buildings were seen. 

 Glimpses of the beautiful green-blue lagoon seen through 

 the break in the south side showed a considerable area 

 free from obstructions which might make a suitable har- 

 bor and landing for seaplanes. 



Rota and Guam islands were sighted on May 19, and 

 the vessel was safely moored in Port Apra early on May 

 20. 



Between Apia and Guam the following observations 

 were made: 48 declination measurements, 13 inclination 

 and horizontal intensity measurements, 14 ocean sta- 

 tions, 20 pilot-balloon flights, 3 atmospheric-electric 

 series, 22 potential gradient records, 159 sonic depths, 

 and 3 bottom samples. 



After several attempts to use the new Coast and 

 Geodetic Survey sounding machine, it was decided to re- 

 sume use of the winch as before for getting bottom sam- 

 ples. As indicated in the previous report, the construc- 

 tion is such that the machine cannot be readily controlled 

 when mounted, as it is on the Carnegie , with reel axle 

 athwartships. On April 24 the 4-mm aluminum-bronze 

 cable failed in seven or eight places, the heart strands 

 breaking near the points where water bottles usually 

 were clamped. This wire has been in use since leaving 



