Evening star., 1925-06-07
PARTY TOEXPLORE
UNKNOWN ISLANDS
Expedition of Americans and
j Mexicans to Visit Unin-
habited Pacific Group.

MeXico's unknown islands, the Re-
villagigedo group in the Pacific, are
to be the object of scientific study
by a joint expedition of Americans
and Mexicans.
THE Revillagigedos, like other
little known bits of land Oft the
beaten path in the Pacific, sufrer
from hasty classification as desert
islands," says a bulletin from the
Washington headquarters Of the Ma
tional Geographic Society.
Less even is known of the Revil-
1agigedos than of Ecuador's Gala
pagos or Chile's Juan Fernandez ana
Easter Islands. On a map they seem
reasonably accessible, lying 800 miles
almost due south of the tip of Lower
California and 375 miles west of the
nearest coast of Mexico proper. But
the islands are uninhabited and there
is no reason for even an annual call
by ships, such as those made 10
Easter Island. Many years go py
without MeXicans visiting the Islands,
and they are seldom even sighted by
man except when some wandering
vessel leaves the usual steamer lanes.
Mountain Rising From Sea.
"Socorro, the principal island, is
seemingly a single large mountain
rising from the sea to a height OF
3,700 feet. 1t is approximately "a
miles long and wide. At places
sheer cliffs meet the sea and nave
been worn by the waves into caves
and fantastic formations. At other
places charming little bays are edged
with sandy and pebbly beaches from
which gentle slopes rise. The south
ern side of the island is rather for
bidding, with patches of lava, ashes
and volcanic scoria in evidence, half
hidden by cacti and scrub. Ihe
northern side is more inviting. There
the vegetation is less of desert
character, being marked particularly
by a wild bean and other vines.
THE only effort on record to col
onize the Revillagigedos was made in
1869 when John Smith, an Australian,
obtained a concession from the Mex
lean government. He took to Socorro
a small group of men and women
with 25 cattle and 100 sheep and
goats. Smith died soon after reach
ing the island and his companions
abandoned the enterprise. The cat
tie perished, but the sheep and goats
throve, and the island is said to be
heavily stocked with them today.
Occasional expeditions have gone
from the Mexican mainland to kill
sheep and goats for their hides.
Near sea level there is only a sparse
growth Of grass. 1t is not improb-
able, however, that the parts of the
island high enough to penetrate the
lowest cloud regions obtain enough
moisture to support luXurlant
growth of grass and herbs.
Harbor Unique Species.
THE only other island of impor-
tance in the group is Clarion, to the
west of Socorro. The two islands
are separated by PA miles, but be-
tween them lies Roca Partida, an
isolated pinnacle rock only 100 yards
long and half as wide, rising 110 feet
from the water. San Benedicto, a
rock 8 miles long, completes the
Revillagigedo group. The conditions
on Clarion are similar to those on
Socorro, and it, too, supports numer-
Gus sheep.
mo study of the flora and fauna of
the Revilla gigedos has ever been
made. 1t is not improbable that, like
the now famous Galapagos, the
islands may be the home of interest
ing species found nowhere else in the
world"