148 Agassis — Albatross Expedition to the Eastern Pacific, 



perature between the surface and 50 fathoms — nearly 12° at the 

 western extremity of the northern line, the. temperature having 

 dropped from 71*7° at the surface to 59'2°. At 200 fathoms it 

 was 51°, and at 600 fathoms it had dropped to 40*7°, the bot- 

 tom temperature at 2005 fathoms being 36 -4°. The tempera- 

 ture of the station in the central part of the current in 2235 

 fathoms agreed with the western series. At the eastern part 

 of the line in 2222 fathoms, with a bottom temperature of 36*4°, 

 the surface being only 67°, we found again a close agreement 

 at 50 and 100 fathoms, the lower depths at 400 and 600 fathoms 

 being from one to two degrees warmer than the outer tempera- 

 tures. On taking a serial from the surface to 100 fathoms, we 

 found that the greatest drop in temperature took place between 

 5 and 30 fathoms. 



The temperatures of a line running due west from Callao 

 showed a very close agreement both at the western end of the 

 line about 780 miles from the coast and in the central part of 

 the line, as well as in the shore station about 80 miles from the 

 coast in 3209 fathoms. The bottom temperature in nearly all 

 the depths we sounded was 36°, a high temperature for that 

 depth. 1 do not make at present any comparison with the 

 serials taken in the Panamic District in 1891 until we shall have 

 completed our lines to the south and to the west. 



We leave for Easter Island on the 3d of December, where 

 we shall coal, and from there go to the Galapagos and thence 

 to Manga Keva and Acapulco, where we ought to arrive in the 

 early days of March. 



The changes made in the working apparatus of the Albatross 

 under the superintendence of Lieutenant Franklin Swift, U. S. 

 Navy, have proved most satisfactory. The alterations in 

 the main drum and the device for preventing the piling of the 

 wire on the serging drum and the accompanying shock, have 

 greatly reduced the risk of breaking the wire rope when trawl- 

 ing at great depths. The wire rope has proved an excellent 

 piece of workmanship, and has worked admirably in the com- 

 paratively deep water in which most of our trawling has been 

 done thus far. A new dredging boom has also been installed,, 

 and everything relating to the equipment of the Albatross has 

 been carefully overhauled. 



Lieut. Commander L. M. Garrett has been indefatigable in 

 his interest for the Expedition ; the officers and crew have been 

 devoted to their work ; and the members of the scientific staff 

 have carried out most faithfully their duties of preparing and 

 preserving the collections thus far made. 



We hoped to be docked at Callao, but owing to the pro- 

 longed occupation of the dock by a disabled steamer and the 

 uncertainty of its becoming free within reasonable time, we 

 decided to proceed without further delay to Easter Island and 

 continue the Expedition as we are. 



