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Dear tlr. Graf: 
In a coordanoe with your letter of instructions of Ivlarch 
28th, I proceeded by airplane to Balboa, Canal Zone, to join the 
U.S.S. liiALLARD 
As this mode of travel permitted a maximum of only 55 pounds 
of baggage, I %ms able to take with me only the barest necessities for 
the trip. Also, the short notice that I had did not give me time to 
make more than the briefest . telegraphic arrangements fdr certain 
supplies that I felt were necessary for the expedition — chiefly pre- 
servatives, bottles for specimens, and photographic film. 
I arrived in Balboa at 4:30 p.m. and boarded the IIALLARD 
for an eight o’clock departure. :le spent the forenoon of April 2nd 
off Malpelo Island, Colombia. April 4th we refueled at Santa Elena, 
-Ecuador, leaving the next morning for the Galapagos Islands. 
Our first landfall was Freshwater Bay, Chatham Island 
Here is found the one permanent fresh water supply in all the Islands, 
A sample of the water vms obtained and given a brief chemical and 
bacteriological analysis, (Copies of the doctor’s report and the en- 
gineer’s tests are appended.) Working around to V/reck Bay, the port 
of entry, tat the same day^, April 7th, courtesies were exchanged with 
the officials there. 
An interesting sidelight on our Wreck Bay visit. Ashore, the 
Territorial Chief, Tcnel Meneses Pe^aherrera, most hospitably set be- 
for us a platter of freshly sliced 'pineapple and served thereafter two 
rounds of very excellent brandy. Captain Picking, in returning the 
compliment, invited him and his staff to a buffet supper aboard the 
liALLARD, which vms concluded ivith ice cream and cedce eind the best 
feature movie in the MALLARD'S repertoire. In the course of one of 
the intermissions, while reels vrere being changed, Senor Polanca, in- 
terpreter for the Governor, leaned over to me and said, "It’s wonder- 
ful that you are doing so much for us," He was genuinely moved by 
the kind attention given him and his countrymen. 
The forenoon of April 8th was spent at Academy Bay, Inde- 
fatigable Island, Here two brackish springs were examined and tested 
for salinity (results appended). As this is the island in which we 
were most interested, I endeavored to obtain a census of the popula- 
tion, but I found that this was impossible at this time. Most of 
the imhabitants appear to be living in the so-called moist zone, some 
hours of travel distant, and no one, not even the governor at 'Yreck 
Bay, could give me any definite county. Such reports on population 
as were elicited from the Indefatigable residents at Academy Bay and 
the captain in charge of the detachment of soldiers indicated that 
there might be from 65 to IGO individuals, counting men, women, and 
children. As it vms imperative that the MALLARD begin her survey of 
South Seymour Island, we were unable to spend more than the one half 
