Viewing page 26 of 41

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

Although the Navy has permission from the Ecuadorian government to establish air and submarine bases in the Galapagos, they plan to make no move until really necessary. Any pioneering in the Islands would, of necessity, devolve upon the Smithsonian if undertaken at all. This would permit the location of the laboratory on what may now be considered the most favorable site in the Islands. This, Captain Picking insists, is on the south shore of North Seymour Island where it fronts Indefatigable. Between the two islands is a comparatively narrow channel which, by virtue of reefs or a chain of islets and shoals ^[[a]]cross 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 of the rooks. ^[[(Photo herewith).]]Nevertheless, a small dock would be very convenient and desirable. 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 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 tracing giving details of this basin; photographic copy appended.

It so happened that I did not get to see this particular 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. There is a considerable area of land ashore suitable for the construction of buildings and also of a "gunite" watershed, which, in the usual wet season, should collect sufficient water to last a small establishment through the dry season. This is the place that Captain Picking is recommending to the Navy. Both he and Admiral Sadler say that we would be free to locate here if we kept to one end of this particular area.

Although water could be hauled from Freshwater Bay, Chatham Island, sixty miles away, it is believed that an oil-fired evaporator would be much more economical; roughly, one gallon of diesel oil is needed to produce twelve gallons 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. 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. At present there are only two crustaceans on exhibit in that institution, though there is a very comprehensive representation of Panamaian shells, birds, and reptiles. I am sending him certain scientific literature that he desired. Needing peat in which to pack my Cocos Island palm seeds, I called on Mr. Paul