244 ALEXANDER AGASSIZ 



a deep-sea expedition off Panama the following year in 

 the Albatross. The conditions under which Agassiz was 

 offered the ship included his supplying the coal, assist- 

 ing in thoroughly reequipping the boat, and paying 

 part of the running expenses. In return he was to get 

 a first set of the collections which especially interested 

 him. The result of the arrangement was, that this and 

 his subsequent expeditions in the Albatross were little if 

 any less expensive to him than the expeditions he under- 

 took later without government aid. 



The Albatross was built in 1882 especially for the use 

 of the United States Fish Commission. She was 234 feet 

 over all, 200 feet on the water-line, with a beam (moulded) 

 of 27 feet 6 inches. At 12 feet draught, she displaced 

 a trifle under 1100 tons. Her engines had an indicated 

 horse-power of a shade over 450, and she was fitted 

 with twin screws. She was furnished with a very com- 

 plete marine laboratory ; and when reequipped for this 

 expedition possessed all the most approved devices of 

 the day for the investigation of the ocean. Her officers 

 were detailed from the United States Navy ; her captain, 

 Lieut.-Commander Z. L. Tanner, having been in charge 

 ever since her first cruise. From 1883 to 1886, she 

 worked for the Fish Commission along the Atlantic 

 coast. In 1887, she left for the Pacific, sounding and 

 dredging along her route ; and in 1890, she was sent to 

 Bering Sea to investigate the seal fisheries. 



In January, 1891, with the consent of the President, 

 the Albatross was ordered to Panama. Agassiz left New 

 York on February 10, taking with him Mr. Magnus 

 Westergren, who was to act as artist of the expedition. 



On reaching Panama, after crossing the Isthmus, where 

 the French were at work on the canal, he writes : — 



