INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 
433 
fishing parties sent out in boats. The naturalists with large parties 
detailed from the ship’s company were out at daylight the following 
morning, and explorations both ashore and afloat were vigorously 
prosecuted. It was virgin soil practically, and the results so important 
that we decided to remain another day. After the collectors had left 
the ship the next morning we got under way and spent between 7 and 
8 hours with trawl and dredge. Lava bowlders were found strewn over 
the bottom, making it very difficult to haul the trawl or even the dredge. 
There was comparatively little life found, but such specimens as we 
secured were of sufficient value to induce us to persevere. Returning 
to Sulphur Bay at 4:30 p. m., the collectors and fishing parties were 
taken on board, and a few minutes later we started for Socorro. 
Clarion Island is uninhabited, and from its isolated position almost 
unknown. It is a volcanic elevation about 6 miles in length, and from 
1 to 3 miles in width, rising from a depth of 2,000 fathoms to an altitude 
of 1,282 feet above the sea, and with minor peaks of 996 and 916 feet. 
The shores are steep and rockbound, with the exception of two open 
bays on the south side. Sulphur Bay, the westernmost, has fair anchor- 
age, but the other has much foul ground, breakers extending beyond 
the outer points. A sand beach several hundred yards in length lies 
at the head of Sulphur Bay, but between it and deep water a rocky 
ledge, just below the surface or awash at low tide, causes a heavy surf 
and makes a landing there impracticable. Our boats landed on the 
rocks inside of East Head, but the best landing was found in a small 
cove west of West Head, not more than half a mile from the anchorage. 
Fresh water was found in two small lagoons near the beach in Sul- 
phur Bay, where thousands of sea birds lined the shores, wading along 
the shallow margins or skimming lightly over the surface. Sir Ed- 
mund Belcher reported these lagoons to be salt, and as fresh water was 
of the greatest importance in his day, and the first thing sought for in 
strange lands, there can be no doubt concerning the accuracy of his 
report. They are near the beach, but little above the sea level, and it 
may be possible that a southerly gale would force sufficient sea water 
into them to make the water brackish. That they are fresh for a con- 
siderable portion of the year is evidenced by fresh water algae aud 
other forms. It rained quite heavily during the rfight of our arrival, 
and next morning small rock pools were seen, but a day or two of sun 
would evaporate them. 
The lower portions of the island are covered with lava bowlders, 
large and small, and between them is an impenetrable growth of cactus 
(prickly pear), through which a passage must be cut in order to reach 
the interior elevated plateaux. Quite large areas of these mesas were 
covered with a luxuriant growth of grass, and dense clumps of stunted 
busnes were seen here and there, which could be utilized as firewood 
in case of emergency. A vine was quite common, with blossoms resem- 
bling the wild pea, aud there were about half a dozen flowering plants, 
H. Mis. 274 28 
