AGASSIZ : LETTERS TO THE HON. GEORGE M. BOWERS. 71 



coal, and go from there to the Galapagos and thence to Manga Reva and 

 Acapulco, where we ought to arrive in the early days of March. 



The changes made in tlie working apparatus of the " Albatross " 

 under the superintendence of Lieutenant Franklin Swift, U. S. X., 

 have proved most satisfactory. The changes made in the main drum 

 and the device for preventing the piling of the wire on the surging drnm 

 and the accompanying shock have greatly reduced the risk of breaking 

 the wire rope when trawling at great depths. The wire rope has proved 

 an excellent piece of workmanship, and has worked admirably in the 

 comparatively deep water in which most of our trawling has been done 

 thus far. A new dredging-boom has also been installed, and everything 

 relating to the equipment of the " Albatross " has been carefully over- 

 hauled. 



Lieutenant-Commander L. M, Garrett has been indefatigable in his 

 interests for the expedition, the officers and crew have been devoted to 

 their work, and the members of the scientific staff have carried out 

 most faithfully their duties of preparing and preserving the collections 

 thus far made. 



We hoped to be docked at Callao, but owing to the prolonged occupa- 

 tion of the dock by a disabled steamer, and the uncertainty of its becom- 

 ing free within reasonable time, we decided to proceed without further 

 delay to Easter Island and continue the expedition as we are. 



II. 



Chatham Island, Galapagos, January 6, 1905. 



"We left Callao for Easter Island Saturday afternoon, December 3 ; as 

 far as 90° western longitude we remained in the Humboldt current, as 

 we could readily see from the character of the temperature serials and 

 from the amount of pelagic life we obtained both from the surface and 

 the intermediate hauls. This also affected the bottom fauna, which was 

 fairly rich even as far as 800 miles from the shore as long as we remained 

 within the limits of the northern current. As soon as we ran outside of 

 it the character of the surface fauna changed ; it became less and less 

 abundant as we made our way to Easter Island, the western half of the 

 line from Callao to Easter Island becoming gradually barren. This also 

 affected the deep-sea fauna to such an extent that towards Easter Island, 

 at a distance of 1200 to 1400 miles from the South American continent, 

 our trawl hauls were absolutely barren ; the bottom for the greater part 



