Grayson.] 238 [June 7, 



ing south of us. We continued four days in sight of these Islands 

 at a distance of thirty miles from them, with calms and light winds. 

 We amused ourselves fishing, in which we had considerable success, 

 — there being soundings for some distance northwest from these 

 Islands. A small green humming bird paid us a visit, of the species I 

 found abundant on the Islands when I was there three years ago, 

 and excited our astonishment that it should venture so far from its 

 green retreats ; it remained but a few moments, apparently examin- 

 ing our vessel, when it suddenly departed for its island home. 



"The black-billed terns were numerous on these soundings, as well as 

 guillemots, petrels and gannets. Occasionally a tropic bird (Phaeton) 

 came around with its long tail feathers glistening against the sky. 

 But none of these birds came near enough to be shot. With our 

 scoop net we procured a number of floating sea snail shells, buoyed 

 upon the surface of the water by means of a thin substance full of 

 little air cells, which resembles sea foam. The shell is very fragile, 

 has three whorls, and when disturbed ejects a purple fluid ; we saw 

 many of these shells floating on the sea in calm weather, between 

 the Marias and Socorro Island. On the 9th the Tres Marias Islands 

 had disappeared below the horizon. Numbers of black-billed terns 

 fly around to-day of which we shot and prepared two specimens ; at 

 12 o'clock M., Lat. 20° 38', Long. 108°, the mercury stood at 86 Fh. 

 in the cabin. From this time forth the voyage was very monotonous, 

 until the 14th, when we at last sighted the Island of Socorro, at 

 half past 6 p.m., bearing west, my son being the first to see it. 



"By this time the wood for cooking purposes had entirely given 

 out and our provisions were also getting low, — we had neither 

 pickles nor vinegar, nor dried fruit nor vegetables of any kind ; nothing 

 but dried beef and hard bread, with a little coffee and tea, and all on 

 hand would not last more than twenty days even with strictest 

 economy at that, notwithstanding according to the charter contract, 

 there was to be provisions for two months. But I came to the de- 

 termination, that if we reached the Island, I would live upon fish 

 before leaving it until the object which brought me there had been 

 accomplished. 



"For four days, the wind headed us off from the Island most 

 provokingly, or rather from a landing place. We first endeavored to 

 go around the north side, but found it too difficult on account of 

 head winds ; we then tried the south and after beating against the 

 wind and a strong current, finally reached the cove marked on the 



