Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-03-30
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS.
The Land of the Tortoise and its Life
Described.


| opened to the commerce of the world
| the question of naval bases close to
| the canal entrances on either the At
| lantic or Pacific side becomes of i'm
| lnenSe Importance to the nations of the
world. ON the Pacific side the only is
| lands which could be utilized are the
Galapagos islands. Owing To the Nom
roe Doctrine, no European nation
| would care To run the risk of acquir-
| lns Them, knowing such an act would
| undoubtedly lead to war with the
| United States. This country has been
| unoificially dickering with Ecuador.
which owns them. and it is reported,
| has offered the sum of SIS, O000 900 for a
ninety nine years lease of the islands,
the Ecuadoran constitution forbidding
tho permanent alienation Of any ma
tlonal territory. SO much opposition,
however. has been displayed by the
people Of Ecuador that President AL
faro has promised to drop the idea of
parting with them for any sum
The Galapagos Islands form one of
the most remarkable group OF islands
in the world. They are situated on
the equator, about coo miles west from
politically belong, although they have
no local government, and extend from
about longitude SO degrees west from
Gree nWich. and extending on each
side of the equator about IL degrees
north and south. There are five prin-
Clpdl islands, eleven smaller ones and
great number of islets and rocks
The five principal islands are Narbo-
rough, Albermarle, James, Indefatig
able and Chatham. The smaller is
lan6s are Jcrvis Duncan. harrington,
Biattle. Charles Hood, Tower, Bindloe
Abingdon, Wenman and Culpepper
II nd is the most southern, Culpepper
tn most northern and also the most
western, while Chatham is the most
eastern. Albemarle is by far the larg-
oel, occupying more than one-half Of
III" estimated 400 square miles of the
group. The population is about 400.
nearly all in Chatham. There is some
sugar growing on this island, while
cattle are raised to some extent
The Whole Group Volcanic.
As is We'll know, the whole group is
volcanic The highest mountain is on
the southwest end of Albermarle. Re
perts of volcanic eruptions on the is
lands nave been frequent i'll the past
but of recent years the volcanoes have
been inactive. Most of the islands
consist of basaitic rocks and masses Of
SrDrlae and lava.
The climate. considering that these
islands are directly on the equator, is
far from being excessively hot. cir
cumstance which is chiefly owing to
tie sinsularlY low temperature % the
surrounding sea. which is % degrees
centigrade. The rainy season is be-
tween February and June, but is very
irregular, generally very short, and Of
ten il stops entirely for one or two
years In the highest portions of the
islands there is often rain all the year
but very little The whole broad lower
zone is nearly without rain therefore
the upper region remains always green,
the lower one arid and barren, MAX
ing a startling contrast when seen
from the water.
The currents about these islands are
remarkable, for in addition to their We
locity. which is from one to two and
half miles an hour and usually toward
the west and northwest, there is
surprising difference in temperature of
the bodies of water moving within
few miles of one another. These strik-
ing differences are owing to the cool
current coming from the southwark.
along the coasts of Chilli and Peru,
which at Galapagos encounters far
warmer body of water coming from the
Bay of Panama. Heavy rollers coca
Sionally break on the northern shores
during the rainy season. though no
wind OF any consequence accompanies
them, and are probably caused by the
northers from Tehauntepec and the
Papagayos. or northeast winds which
are so we'll known on the coast be-
tween Panama and Acapulco.
The Galapagos Islands derive their
name from one of the most remarkable
groups of animals to be found in the
world. the land tortoise Spanish Gala
pago)). Formerly these tortoise We're
very abundant on most of the larger
islands of the group. but they have
been killed in great numbers for food
principally by the crews of whaling
vessels and buccaneers, who frequently
resorted to these islands to reiit and
provision in the early days Of the last
century. 1t has been estimated that
fourteen million of the animals have
been taken from the islands for use
as food. Their former abundance is
well shown by the statement OF Oar
win that in the early days single
vessels have taken away as many az
seven hundred, and that the ships
company of a frigate brought down in
one day two hundred tortoise 10 the
beach" Many were also killed off by
pigs which Fcuadorans turned loose
upon the islands about a century ago
and by Wild dogs
In 1906 the Academy of Science or
California sent an expedition to the
islands and secured one of the largest
tortoises ever taken from the islands,
it weighing about eleven hundred
pounds. A little earlier number We're
taken away and sent to different cities
of the world as additions to the sell
entific collections of animals i'll their
geological gardens. Several We're CIV
en- TO the New York Geological Park,
At present an expedition would pc
lucky to get a dozen as a reward Tor
several months work. However. there
are still a few remaining on four or
g. 90 tl,o ;clopdS hut Gu few that they