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November 28, 1927.

Mr. Hubert V. Winters, 
P. 0. Box 201,
Folcroft, Pa.

My dear Mr. Winters:

A little account of my trip to Juan Fernandez will be published some time during the next year in the National Geographic Magazine. I shall be glad to let you know when it appears.

Juan Fernandez Island is a most wonderful place. The population is all white--French, German, Spanish, Italian, one Canadian and one Mexican. The chief source of income is the lobster fishery, which directly or indirectly engages the activities of most of the population. There is no yellow fever on the entire west coast of South America, and so far as I know has never in history been recorded from Juan Fernandez. Many fruits grow wild, particularly figs, and all kinds apparently can be successfully cultivated. The population is Catholic. There is a little chapel in which services are held during one month out of the entire year.

The Island is owned by the Chilean government, which appoints a retired Naval officer as governor. There is no need for law or government in such a small and orderly population as this. Though there are several policemen their chief work is seeing that the laws protecting undersized lobsters are carried out by the fishermen.

I should imagine that anyone could go there to live permanently with properly executed passports, and such other papers as may be required by the Chilean government. This would have to be taken up with the nearest Chilean Consul. Application at the Poet Office would give you this information.

Very truly yours,
[[initialed - "W"]]
Waldo L. Schmitt
Curator of Marine Invertebrates.

WLS/nks