54 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 



that I brought back with me were determined by Paul Russell, of the 

 Department of Agriculture, as a species of Pachira. The large seeds 

 of one tree of this genus, Pachira aquatica, common in swamps along 

 the Atlantic coast of Central America, are said to be roasted and 

 eaten like chestnuts, but I do not know that such use of them has 

 been ascribed to the San Bias Indians. Nevertheless, I feel certain 

 that they do use them for food in some manner. 



At Baranquilla, Colombia, our next major stop, an early morning 

 visit was paid to the market, where specimens of the fish and crus- 

 taceans on sale were obtained for subsequent study. Between the 

 ship's side and the dock a number of small fish and a host of tiny 

 shrimp were dipped up with a hand net. Baranquilla is on the Mag- 

 dalena River, one of the great rivers of the world, navigable for 

 nearly a thousand miles from its mouth. Like the Amazon, its turbu- 

 lent, muddy waters discolor the ocean for miles off the coast. It 

 carries a tremendous water-borne traffic to and from the interior of 

 the country. The steamers plying its waters are large stern-wheelers, 

 usually pushing several heavily laden barges or scows ahead of them. 

 They are strongly reminiscent of the days of showboats and steam- 

 boat races on the Mississippi. 



Captain Hancock has installed some remarkably efficient dredging 

 equipment on the J'elero III. and so at all favorable opportunities 

 large-scale dredging operations were undertaken. One of the better 

 dredging grounds was found off Cape La Vela, Colombia. 



During the 20-odd hours spent at St. Nicolas Bay, Aruba, we had 

 very worth-while collecting at Punta Basora, well to the windward 

 or east end of the island. To the leeward, along the south shore of 

 Aruba, there has accumulated a great belt of tarry matter, either re- 

 finery residues or else the result of the pumping out of the numerous 

 huge tankers that visit this tiny port day in and day out throughout 

 the year. This has utterly ruined the fine collecting grounds that 

 formerly existed on this side of the island. Here the Lago Oil and 

 Transport Company maintains one of the world's largest refineries. 

 Aruba is also known as the home of an endemic rattlesnake. These 

 rattlers are of considerable concern to the oil company because of 

 their habit of lying on the warm oil pipe lines at night. The native 

 watchmen are so afraid of the snakes that it is with difficulty that 

 the company succeeds in keeping its lines properly patrolled. 



La Guaira, Venezuela, was our next port of call, and almost every 

 one aboard took the opportunity of visiting Caracas, which lies back 

 up in the mountains. 4,000 feet above sea level, and is reached by one 

 of the most scenic, yet most tortuous, of well-paved highways. The 



