9 
Sunday 4-1-23 
weatner. 
Went in town early with F. to get fruit and some last odds and ends 
and reported at the dock at 11:30 to stow the last gear below. 
Promptly at noon (12:05, to be exact) we got under way "in accordance 
with the verbal orders of Lt. Com. S.W. King, U.S.N., in command of the 
ornithological expedition to the islands to the westward of Oahu", leaving 
a little gathering on the pier in which I could see but one figure in white 
till we reached the harbor entrance and swung out to sea . . rrhis leaving 
folk by sea is an odd job and an unpleasant one. 
■ Our party consists of Dr. Alexander Wetmore (in charge) and E- C. 
Reno of the B.S., Stanley C. Ball, David T. Fullaway, Edward L. Caum, 
David Thaanum, J. W. Thompson and Chapman. Grant. The latter to my 
astonishment proves to be an old school mate at Thacher and goes just as 
handy man for Wetmore. He is now Major, 2?th Inf. U.S.A., stationed at 
] 
Fort Schofield, but has a keen love of natural history and wants to get 
back into the game. We also have Eric Schlemmer, a son of the Max 
Schlemmer, whose name is indelibly associated with the Id. of Laysan, as 
guano manager, rabbit importer, etc.I The boy goes as my camera assistant. 
i 
We also have a cableman reporting back to Midway from sich leave in Hono¬ 
lulu. He is an interesting Hew Zealander who has already put in one year on 
Midway and part of his second. He tells me that the Laysan Rail (Porzahula 
palmeri) and the Laysan Finch (Telespiza cantans) which were introduced 
t 
on Midway have thriven so that both are now'common on that island. This' 
is lucky, for if the rabbit invasion has gone its logical course I fear 
for all the vegetation arj 
in consequence for all the land species of birds 
n-n t. 
X-l 
; aysan itself. Ken also tells me that the Hawaiian seal (Monachus schaunslandi) 
• • 
is far from rare on Midway and that five were killed there in 1922 "for-sport". 
Gr.e of the 9$ was carrying 
