[29] WORK OF STEAMER ALBATROSS. 399 



their general form being somewhat like that of a gar. Attempts were 

 made to capture one, but they disappeared without noticing the tempt- 

 ing baits thrown to them. 



We took the SE. trades on the 2Gtli, in latitude 17° S. Life became 

 more abundant in sea and air as we approached the equator. Flyiug- 

 fish were swarming about us night and day, followed by porpoises, dol- 

 phins, man-of-war hawks, and other enemies. Petrels of three or four 

 species were connnon, and boobies lit on spars or rigging occasionally 

 for a quiet nap. Huge turtles were frequently seen asleep on the sur- 

 face or scurrying away from the ship. Our first view of the tropic 

 bird in the Pacific was in 17° S. 



We lost the trades March 1, in latitude 4° S. They were light all 

 through, and we were disappointed in not receiving more assistance 

 from them. The surface net was towed for fifteen minutes at daybreak 

 on the morning of the 1st, with satisfactory results, several new forms 

 being taken, besides many with which we were familiar. A successful 

 haul of the trawl was made at 3 p. m., March 2, in 401 fathoms, green 

 mud, off the coast of Ecuador. The haul was completed at 5.02, at 

 which time we started ahead full speed. Three minutes later A. E. 

 Anderson, coxswain, fell overboard from the rail forward of the fore 

 rigging while working about the trawl net. A life-buoy was thrown to 

 him as he passed the stern, the engii es were stopped and reversed, 

 the lifeboat lowered nearly to the water and manned, but not detached. 

 When the vessel gathered stern board she was steered by helm and 

 engines to the man, who was then taken in the life-boat as she hung 

 from the davits, and hoisted to the rail, the vessel starting on her course 

 again after a delay of five minutes. 



After our departure from Lota we traversed upward of 2,000 miles 

 without usiug trawl or dredge, or even taking a sounding. As this is 

 quite foreign to our usual custom, it may not be out of place here to 

 explain. Cholera raged in Chili and all South American countries 

 quarantined against her ports. There was no coal at Sandy Point, 

 consequently we were obliged to call at Lota for a supply, thereby 

 incurring the penalty of exclusion from all coaling stations thence to 

 Panama, a distance of about 3,000 miles. While we would not hesi- 

 tate to add even another thousand miles to the steaming capacity of 

 the vessel with a good quality of fuel, we did not feel at all confident of 

 our ability to make the ruu with Lota coal, of which we knew nothing 

 personally and about which we had seen bad reports. So we made 

 the best of our way toward Panama until March 2, when we found 

 the supply of fuel would permit us to resume our usual explorations en 

 route. 



The island of Plata and the highlands of Ecuador were seen shortly 

 after daylight, and on the morning of the 3rd Cape San Francisco was 

 in sight, 15 or 20 miles distant. At 6.08 a. m. a successful haul of the 

 trawl was made in 741 fathoms. Tide rips were frequently encountered 



