SAIUNG THE SEVEN SEAS 



651 



Photograph by J. P. Ault 

 IMAGES OP GRIM AND SOLEMN ASPECT ON EASTER ISLAND (SEE TEXT, PAGE 654) 



either mist, fog, light drizzle, rain, hail, 

 or snow, on ioo out of the 118 days. Fog 

 was present on 20 days and snow on 16 

 days, and over 135 icebergs were sighted. 



The aurora australis, or south polar 

 lights, were seen on .14 different occa- 

 sions, some being unusually brilliant. 

 They were generally in the shape of long 

 streamers and pencils of white light, or 

 great arches of white or green light 

 stretching across the sky, but never dis- 

 playing the variety of gorgeous colors 

 seen in northern latitudes. 



In spite of fog and storm, the sun or a 

 star was seen every day, and the magnetic 

 declination was observed on every day 

 except one — a truly remarkable record in 

 view of the extremely unfavorable cli- 

 matic conditions. 



Below the western part of Australia, at 

 about 60 degrees south latitude, we found 

 the magnetic declination, as shown on the 

 nautical charts, to be 12 to 16 degrees in 

 error, the largest difference found in any 

 of the Carnegie's work. 



THE GRACEFUL ALBATROSS BECOMES 

 COMICAL ON SHIPBOARD 



The wandering albatross (see illustra- 

 tions, pages 659 and 666) was our daily 



companion throughout the southern 

 cruise. Soaring about the vessel, now 

 skimming the waves with the tips of his 

 wings and now rising high above the 

 masts, he never flapped his pinions. He 

 seemed to delight to play in the cross-cur- 

 rents of wind in the lee of the sails, and 

 as he hovered over the ship his curious 

 eye seemed to observe every detail of life 

 on board. 



Many were caught with a baited tri- 

 angle of metal trailed astern at the end 

 of a long line. Their hooked beaks would 

 catch in the corner of the triangle, and 

 they would be hauled up uninjured. Once 

 on board, they were allowed to walk about 

 the deck freely, as they could not rise and 

 fly away without a long run or "take 01x7' 



It was very comical to see them become 

 seasick, due to the motion of the vessel, 

 thrusting their beaks up into the air, 

 groaning and snapping their bills, and 

 trying to "feed the fishes" like regular 

 land-lubbers. The largest measured 17 

 feet from tip to tip of wing. 



Other birds seen were the molly-mawk, 

 the sooty albatross, the Cape pigeon, the 

 snowy petrel, the giant petrel, the skua 

 gull, and the penguin. 



Our stay at the next port, Pago Pago, 



