56 
ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 
A SANDY COVE IN THE GALAPAGOS 
The site of a submerged crater. Out of the crevices of the tortured, dead cinders, spring grotesque cacti, 
on which perch tamest of mockingbirds, singing their hearts out. 
birds, as the closely wooded shores and absence 
of islets offered no attraction to them. The 
water question was sufficiently pressing to pre¬ 
vent us from spending more than one day here, 
and it was decided to steam for Tagus Cove on 
Albemarle, which was marked on the chart as a 
good anchorage, with two places on the shore 
where fresh water could be obtained. 
In returning to the Noma that evening, three 
of our party had a narrow escape from what 
might have been serious injury. In launching 
the small motor boat, it was overturned by a big 
breaker and they had a bad few minutes in the 
surf. Luckily they escaped with nothing worse 
than a few cuts and bruises. The boat was 
smashed and rifles and personal belongings were 
lost. Later in the evening when their predica¬ 
ment was discovered they were brought off in 
a lifeboat. 
Early next morning we left for Tagus Cove, 
steaming around the north end of Albemarle 
and passing between it and Narborough. On 
these two islands we saw what seemed like, the 
most recent evidences of volcanic activity, great 
black swathes of lava slashing across the green 
of trees and undergrowth. It became noticeably 
colder in passing to the west of Albemarle on 
the open ocean side, so much so that sweaters 
were comfortable for an hour or two. During 
our stay this effect of the Humboldt Current 
was noticed only in the extreme south of the 
Archipelago. At first we were doubtful of the 
identity of Tagus Cove, it seemed so small and 
unlike in shape to that anchorage shown on the 
chart. But once inside, a more perfect shelter 
would be hard to conceive. Long and narrow, 
between straight towering cliffs, with deep water 
up to within a few feet of land, it was a satis¬ 
factory and a wonderfully picturesque anchor¬ 
age. The landing facilities left much to be de¬ 
sired, but that was of small moment compared 
to our disappointment when the chart was once 
more proved to be over-optimistic on the subject 
of water. Not a drop of the precious fluid was 
to be found, although this was the height of the 
rainy season, and our only hope now was to go 
to Chatham, in search of that pipeline of which 
the pilot book spoke so glibly. 
We calculated that with our shortage of sup¬ 
plies it would not be advisable to stay long at 
Tagus Cove, but our few hours there yielded a 
rich harvest. Some of the party explored the 
slopes adjacent to the Cove, finding quantities 
of nests and eggs of the black finches (Geo- 
spiza), and other indigenous birds, besides in¬ 
sects, lizards and botanical specimens. Others 
