312 ALEXANDER AGASSIZ 



from the Australasian Navigation Company. Suitable 

 quarters for Agassiz and his assistants were built into 

 the boat ; she was fully provisioned for two months, 

 and arrangements were made for insuring a supply of 

 coal at points where it would be needed along the coast. 

 Captain Tanner kindly took charge of the building of 

 a sounding machine and deep-sea nets for the expedition. 

 These, with a complete and extensive outfit for pelagic 

 fishing, were forwarded in advance to Sydney. In the 

 midst of the preparations Cleveland delivered his Vene- 

 zuela message, which for the moment so strained the 

 relations between the United States and Great Britain. 

 The owners of the Croyden at once telegraphed, asking 

 for a release from their contract owing to the prospect 

 of war, but Agassiz telegraphed back laughing at their 

 apprehensions. Through the State Department he ob- 

 tained, from the Foreign Office in London, letters to 

 the Governor of New South Wales and the officer ad- 

 ministering the Government of Queensland, so that he 

 everywhere received much courtesy, and every opportu- 

 nity was offered him for carrying on his work. 



Three assistants, Dr. W. McM. Wood worth, Dr. A. 

 G. Mayer, both then members of the Museum staff, and 

 his son Maximilian, accompanied Agassiz, who left for 

 Australia via San Francisco early in the spring of 1896, 

 reaching Sydney in the midst of the four or five days 

 of Easter holidays. The Croyden was in dry dock wait- 

 ing for her finishing touches, and he was much exaspe- 

 rated to find that nothing could be done till the end of 

 the holidays. While waiting he made an excursion into 

 the interior, where in common with other travellers he 

 felt the dreary monotony of the great Eucalyptus for- 

 ests, ran across a drive of wallabies, and had the luck to 



