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^[[4]]

No time was lost on the run back to Balboa, where we arrived at seven o'clock the morning of the 30th. Here Captain Picking and I had a conference with Admiral F. H. Sadler which should be considered as confidential. Although ^[[/]] the Navy has permission from the Ecuadorian government to establish air and submarine bases in the Galapagos, [[strikethrough]]they[[/strikethrough]] ^[[at the Navy]] plan^[[s]] [[strikethrough]]to make [[/strikethrough]] no move until [[strikethrough, and dotted underline]]really [[/strikethrough and dotted underline]] ncessary. Any pioneering in the Islands ^[[thus]] would, of necessity, devolve upon the Smithsonian if undertaken at all.^[[/]] This would permit the location of the laboratory on what [[strikethrough]]may now be considered[[/strikethrough]] ^[[is]] the most favorable site in the Islands.^[[/]] [[line from margin addition ^[[Ind.?,]]to the '/' sign suggesting it's a paragraph break]]

 This, Captain Picking insists, is on the south shore of North Seymour Island where it fronts Indefatigable. ^[[ [[what looks like a heavy forward slash and a line drawn to a blank space in the margin]] ]] Between the two islands is a comparatively narrow channel which, by virtue of reefs or a chain of islets and shoals across each end, has been transformed into a wonderfully well protected, landlocked basin, entirely free from swells. The water is so quiet here that one can anchor alongside [[strikethrough]]of the rocks[[/strikethrough]] ^[[rocky shore [[strikethrough]](see photo herewith) [[/strikethrough]] ]] [[strikethrough]] Nevertheless, the[[/strikethrough]] ^[[ [[??]] ]] [[overwritten]]a[[/overwritten]] ^[[A]] small dock ^[[however]] would be [[strikethrough]]very [[/strikethrough]] ^[[more]] convenient^[[.]] [[strikethrough]]and desirable[[/strikethrough]] Through either reef there is an opening sufficiently large for the passage of fairly good-sized vessels, even though the maximum depth at mean low water is only 2-1/4 fathoms. Captain Picking feels certain that [[strikethrough]]there will[[/strikethrough]] it will be a very simple matter to increase this depth with the aid of a diver or by blasting. On his survey chart he has designated this perfectly calm, safe harbor as the South Channel Basin, and he has kindly furnished me a [[strikethrough]]copy of a[[/strikethrough]] tracing giving details of this basin[[overwritten]].[[/overwritten ^[[; photographic copy appended.]]

[[strikethrough in pen]]It so happened that I did not get to s ee this particular [[strikethrough on typewriter]] site but[[/strikethrough]] site, which Captain Picking discovered just before our departure from South Seymour, but I have the utmost confidence in his judgment, and, therefore, on the strength of his recommendation, I would urge, unless other considerations should outweigh the advantages, that the proposed laboratory be located here[[/strikethrough in pen]]. ^[[/]] [[in left margin]]^[[Ashore there is a [[considerable?]] [[strikethrough]]slightly[[/strikethrough]] ^[[lightly]] sloping area of]] [[/in left margin]] area of ^[[ [[strikethrough]]level[[/strikethrough]] ]] land ashore suitable for the construction of buildings and^[[ perhaps also]] [[strikethrough]]also of[[/strikethrough]] a ^[["]]gunite^[["]] watershed, which, in the usual wet season, should collect [[strikethrough]] [[?]] [[/strikethrough]] sufficient water to last a small establishment through[[marginal comment]]^[[the whole of the dry]] [[/marginal comment]] the dry ^[[season]] [[strikethrough]]part of the year[[/strikethrough]]. This [[strikethrough]]is the[[/strikethrough]] place [[strikethrough]]that[[/strikethrough]] Captain Picking [[overwritten]]is[[/overwritten]] ^[[has also]] recommend[[overwritten]]ing[[/overwritten]]^[[ed]] to the Navy. ^[[as the best and safest (harbor) in the islands. [[strikethrough]]Both he ^[[Capt Picking]]and Admiral Sadler say that we would be free to locate here, if we kept to one end of this particular area.[[/strikethrough]]

Although water could be hauled from Freshwater Bay, Chatham Island, ^[[60]] miles away, it is believed that an oil-fired evaporator would be much more economical ^[[; roughly one gallon of diesel oil [[strikethrough]]will prod[[/strikethrough]] is needed to produce twelve gal's of fresh water]] At Freshwater Bay a small dam would  have to be constructed so that a flexible pipe line could be laid out a short distance offshore to enable one to take on water without landing.  Freshwater Bay, unfortunately, is on the south side of Chatham island ^[[. and]] The southern exposures of all the islands are generally bad landing places because of the prevailing winds.

On May 1st I visited the National Museum of Panama, examined the collections, and encouraged Dr. Mendez to collect crustaceans both for his institution and for ours. A ^[[t]] present there are only two crustaceans on exhibit in that institution, though there is a very comprehensive representation of Panamanian shells, birds, and reptiles.  I am sending him certain scientific literature that he desired.  Need [[strikethrough]]ing peat [[/strikethrough]]