» 
Wetmore—Journal 
31 
•» 
turned back and ran across to another sand spit 100 yards long by 30 dip 40 feet 
wide. This was also bare of vegetation being simply a ridge of coarse shell 
anu coral. A short distance beyond was a circular island 100 yards in diameter 
9 
rising 8 to 10 feet above the sea. The higher portion was covered with plants 
of four species. A grass^Tribulus, Portulaca and a fleshy leaved spreading plait 
There was the boom from the mast of an old schooner here and evidence of a 
camp some years ago. Bird population of this island was as follows. 
Diomedea nigripes 90 young (no adults) 
Anous 150 pairs 
Sula cyanops 30 pairs 
# 
Puffinus cuneatus 50 pairs 
There are many coral heads just awash in the lagoon here and shoal patches 
all through. On the average the water here ran from 4 to 7 fathoms. 
Anderson tells me that fonnerly on Fanning Island the Gilbert Island 
laborers in making their labor contract specified that each man was to receive 
2 birds (i.e., boobies) per day as part of his ration. The birds (S. piscator ) 
are captured at night from their roosts in the coconuts and that care was taken 
not to disturb the nesting birds. The practice has now been discontinued; 
# * „ * 
He tell sme too that ducks come in large numbers from October to January 
to Fanning and Washington, northern migrants that appear each year. 
...He knows of no deal in those parts nor did he find any on Johnston. 
• ' 
Captain Ingham is certain that he saw a seal in one of the caves on Nihoa. 
< 
June 23— Today was occupied in a survey of East Island as we have named the 
islet on which we are camped. The island rises from 8 to 10 feet above sea 
level and supports seven species of plants. Vegetation is not continuous 
over the surface, but grows in mats with little gaps between. The beach is 
narrow and rather steep. 
