INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 
431 
junk was seen near by, standing off and on under the lee of the land, 
trying for fish, and as they had no better success than ourselves we left 
the ground, steaming 11 miles SSE., in the direction of San Nicolas, and 
cast the trawl in 603 fathoms, green mud, making an excellent haul. 
Several new species of fish besides other specimens were taken. 
San Nicolas Island to San Diego. — A line of soundings was run to 
San Nicolas during the night, and several fishing stations were occu- 
pied early on the morning of the 13th, with the intention cf carrying 
them around the island, but the weather became so boisterous that wc 
were obliged to give it up. A line of soundings was then run to Santa 
Barbara Island, the greatest depth found being 649 fathoms, and a haul 
of the trawl was made en route , but increasing wind and sea forced us 
to anchor under the lee of the island. The collectors were lauded and 
made several additions to their list of birds, in spite of wind and dust. 
A fishing party was sent out also, but met with indifferent success. 
The prospect the following morning was not reassuring. The gale 
was still increasing, and, as nothing could be done where we were, a line 
of soundings was run to Santa Catalina Island, developing a depth of 
718 fathoms. It was.our intention to anchor under the lee of the island, 
and give the naturalists an opportunity of seinin g on the sheltered sand 
beaches of Catalina Harbor, but we found the sea rolling in too heavily 
and with every prospect of continued bad weather, so we started ait once 
for San Diego under steam and sail, arriving at 7 p. m. the same day. 
THE REVILLA GIGEDO ISLANDS, LOW^R CALIFORNIA, AND THE GULF 
OF CALIFORNIA. 
San Diego to Guadeloupe Island . — We took on board 121 tons of coal 
on the 23d and 25th, and, all preparations having been made for a trip 
to the southward, got under way at 1:15 p. m., February 26, and steamed 
out of the harbor. Standing for Los Coronados we passed between 
the islands, and 4 miles to the southward commenced a line of sound- 
ings in 76 fathoms, carrying it to the island of Guadeloupe. The depths 
increased regularly to 804 fathoms at 33 miles, and 856 fathoms at 81 
miles from the first station, then to 1,856 fathoms 30 miles from the 
island. It will be observed that our soundings extend the submarine 
plateau in a southerly direction, but the rocky elevations which occur 
so frequently to the westward were not encountered. 
The island was sighted at 9:30 on the morning of the 27th, at a dis- 
tance of 60 miles, the mountai n peaks being seen above the mist which 
enveloped the lower levels. Approaching it in the evening, the weather 
or western side was covered with a dense fog, while to the leeward it 
was comparatively clear. The water was smooth, and not caring to 
seek an anchorage during the night, we lay to till daylight, when we 
stood in for a harbor on the south end of the island. The wind was so 
fresh that we were forced to return to the lee side, where an anchor was 
dropped in 17 fathoms, and a party of collectors sent out. The fisher- 
