The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-04-30
WORLDS BEST FISHING.
Found in the Current OFF the Western
Coast Of South America.

coast OF SOutn America.
1t is like reading of the wonders that
hrk beneath the waves in Blasco Iba-
ncz 5 Mare Nostrum" to spend an hour
talking with sun-tanned, hardisted, clear
eyed Robert Cushman Murphy, thirty
three years old, curator for the depart
ment OF natural science OF the Brooklyn
Museum and explorer OF note, who has
Just returned from a six months adven-
ture and scientific expedition for the
museum, making Investigations III the
mysterious Humboldt Current along 500
miles Of the Peruvian coast, as well as
fifteen groups Of the Guano Islands
Going back into this young mans re-
cord, one finds that the trip which he
has just made into these little visited wa
tiers is not the only one of his career.
As long as six years ago, when he was
only twenty-seven years old, he explored
different parts OF the Antarctic, going as
far as the Weddell Sea, and making sur
yeys in oceanic zoology in different parts
OF the world.
But in his latest soloun he has found.
he declares the richest field for research,
and he says that in the cold waters ot
The Humboldt Current, off the western
coast of South America, there is a greater
abundance of animal, fish and plant life
than in any other water area III the
world. He has brought back to New
York fifteen large eases and bags and
boxes filled with skins and skeletons and
drawings, among which he expects to find,
after careful inspection and comparison,
very many species of fish and birds and
plants that heretofore never have been
known to exist
"Thc water of the Humboldt Current, :
he said. is uniformly cold for 800
miles along the coast, So that the TEN.
perature nj the north end of Perm near
the equator is just as low as it is in CEN
trail Chile. The current is the cause for
this. In cold water there is always an
abundance of fish. So in this case there
Is an astonishing abundance of fish and
other forms Of life
He said that bird life in this region was
more abundant than in any other place
in the world and declared he had seen
more beautiful types and species Of
ocean birds on his trip than he had ever
hoped to see.
IN referring to the Guano birds, pre-
dicted that the industry growing out Of
their existence in the islands was des-
tined To become the greatest of any in
that country. He explained the fact that
the Peruvian climate is one OF protracted
dry spells by saying that the winds that
come in from the sea were cold when
they arrived suddenly were transformed
to- warmth by the land, and therefore en-
banded and drew mp all the moisture IN
the vicinity. This, he said, might be lit
tie known, but was the real explanation.
II investigated ocean temperatures,
took soundmgs, measured current veloc-
tiles and investigated fisheries condi-
tions,' he said
And here he hesitated a moment and
added:
"What an opportunity for the United
States at least for those persons here
interested in the fishery industry! A lit
Tie American enterprise and the arranging
for rights to establish organized fisheries
along those coasts down there would
Weld great amounts of money, ! am sure
Fish could be sold to the PeruvianS them
selves and could he exported to all parts
of the world, and. by the way, there is
no better fish for eating in the ocean thar
~ the coast Of Peru
lie said that Throughout that vast
coast line there was not one organized
fishery. And fish arc 50 abundant he
meath the surface that they actually
"trmhlc over one another he said.
You may have thought when YOU saw
q flock OF fifty OF hundred birds flynn.
about together on one of your vacation
in tho country that vou were beholdinl
something musal. Not Mt all, Lister
to Mr.. Murphy tell his hirG story:
'Ono day 7 saw and photographer
l0OOOo0 birds Of the same species in
single tlocl, in the Guano Islands. 1t wa
difficult to sec the far edge of them, am
| couldn't have walked among them with
ont CRUSHING them They fly over tn
waters of the South Pacific. PARTICULAR
off Peru, until they actually darkcn tn
skies"
Mr.. Mmphcv Landed the Peruvian GOV
ctrment for its care and protection Q
IT'S ndustrially important birds, and sal
the President Of the country himself CAV
him much assistance. lending him stear
tlawlers and launches with which t
make his way ovor tho ocean off Pen
He was accompanied only hy a Pcnvia
assistant and chemist and carried foo
enough to last year
Did you cncnr"tcr many storms {
sea-" he was asked
Not one. was hia rcnlv Tho watel
OF Peru arc the Quiotoet a. any nlar"
the world because ~ tho steady southe
" winds New YoIl, Tribune