Beebe: Willianms Galapagos Expedition


    This material is remarkable both for its rarity, excellent preser-
vation and for the fact that it was almost all collected within a
period of three weeks. The various groups of organisms will be
studied by members of the expedition or sent to specialists, and the
results published in the following numbers of Zoologica, while the
more general matter has appeared in a volume by William Beebe,
called "Galapagos; World's End," published under the auspices
of the Zoological Society, by George P. Putnam's Sons.

                     II. BRIEF NARRATIVE
    The Noma, with all the members of the Williams Galapagos
Expedition, steamed from her berth in Brooklyn at noon on March
1, but swinging the compass and engine adjustment kept us in the
lower bay for thirty hours. This gave opportunity for unpacking
and storing our vast quantity of paraphernalia, and in fitting up
a laboratory, a fortunate interlude as it proved, for the passage
down the coas>t was rough and stormy. Scientific work on a yacht
under way was a new experience to me, and we ran the gamut from
comfort to absolute cessation of work. Until we learned to fasten
ev erything down, a sudden terrific heave would sweep the laboratory
tables quite clean, and on unusually rough days we would continue
our work seated on the floor, as chairs were useless. This was the
exception, however, and in the usual calm weather, the twenty-five
hundred horne-power, twin-screw engines gave forth not a tremor or
vibration so that even high power microscopic research could be
carried on.
    Ily the time we were off the Florida coast the sea permitted me
to occupy my usual perch in a boatswain's seat, over the bow, close
to the water, where, with a long-handled net, I secured sufficient
fish and sea-weed fauna for days of study. We put into Key West
to pick up Dr. James Mitchell and to obtain additional supplies of
coal and water, and then crossed to Havana for a supply of 95 per
cent. alcohol for the preservation of our specimens. While in port
we dredged sand bars, and caught sharks and various tropical fish
from the rail.
    From the Windward Passage between Cuba and Haiti, to
Colon, we were in the trough of a heavy sea, and rolled steadily,
occasionally as much as 34 degrees. At Colon we were overhauled
and coaled, giving time for collecting trips to the jungle and coast
beyond Fort Sherman, for horseback rides to the Chagres River,


1923]


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