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PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. IX, April, 1955 
As we worked South along the Easterly shore line, the going became better and 
the birds less troublesome. This condition appeared due to the fact that the depres- 
sions have become completely filled with guano and the surface baked hard or at 
least harder than where it is more broken. Such a condition seems to be less agreeable 
to the birds for nesting places and for this or some more subtle reason the birds on 
this side of the Island were more timid of us and rose at our approach more timely, 
so that we were not so afflicted by their attentions. . . . 
In general this part of the walk differed little if any from what had gone before 
although the rocks were less jagged and the walking by reason of this fact less 
difficult and exhausting. For several hundred yards before reaching the camp site, 
the rocks pushing their sharp heads through the guano or surface soil were almost 
totally absent. From our later observations after a complete survey of the interior 
parts of thy domain, it was plain that we had happened to pitch our camp at the most 
suitable spot for such a purpose the Island affords. I will mention now the fact that 
the excavations that we subsequently made a few yards from our tent discovered at 
a depth of five feet a small supply of brackish water which might under severe neces- 
sity be used for drinking. At similar depth at other points on the Island where it 
was possible to make tests we found the same brackish water in small quantity. 
We found, on arrival at the camp at 1:30 p.m. that our tent and supplies had been 
disposed as directed. We then proceeded to the ship with all possible speed where on 
our arrival we spent the best part of an hour in the head with buckets of water, scrub- 
bing brushes and squares of rough canvas attempting to rid ourselves of our horrid 
enamel. After all our efforts we carried with us a strong smell that suggested a hen 
coop, which left me with little appetite. 
For the next two days I repeated my first day’s work with both Handy and the 
Black in attendance. I quartered over the interior of that part of the Island North of 
the camp the first day and the part South the second day. The rocks in the interior 
parts are less prevalent than along the shore lines. The deposits of guano are more 
solidified and as mentioned before we found six more cases of bush and grass. We 
found no fauna or flora other than that already described, but the colonies of rats 
were a source of constant interest to me, for in the first place it would appear that 
their presence must be accounted for by the discovery of the Island by an European 
ship at some date antidating any recorded voyage of our historical era. It is of course 
plain to be seen that the ancestors of these armies of rodents could not have come 
from the discovery ship when she so far as can be learned first sighted this Island 
and made such notes as to its location and general character as are set forth in her 
log, as it is distinctly stated that no landing was made at that time on account of the 
reefs and that there were noticed "some numbers of a small furry animal mingled 
with the myriad birds.” Then thee will please observe that in spite of the many 
showers there is no trace of fresh water on the surface; for these showers are of such 
short duration and light intensity and the intervals of sun so scorching that the 
precipitation on the land can truly be said to be nonexistent so that unless there 
may be some subterranean supply that I could not come at, these rats are either able 
to drink salt water or the eggs and fledglings that they appear to live and thrive on 
furnish them with the equivalent of drink. While I could never observe any rats 
engaged in eating the grass or bush, I did find traces of what would appear to be 
