Year: 1879

slightly. As the temperature Of the water at
the surface is taken every hour our log shows
valuable record which will be useful in investigat
ing the physics of the Pacific Ocean.


BIRDS AND ANIMALS.


Animal life on the ocean wave south of latitude
so deg seemed to be limited to sea birds and their
parasites turtles jelly fish and. of course. animal
cue Our collector of specimens of natural history
has been busy fixing up. by preservatory process
with arsenic, certain skins which he tore from the
bodies of confding and voracious albatrosses that
would insist on following the ship aud bolting every
edible morsel that was cast overheard. Some of
these morses were fxed on hooks. ana these were
attached to lines paid out the stern. When.
therefore, hungry albatross swallowed one OF these
seductive pieces Of porkat. he she suddenly dis
covered connection between the porkfat and the
expectant individuals who were watching him
her from tho stern Of the Jeannette. Then began
struggle which always ended in the drawing of
the poor frightened bird out of its home the
waves and landing 1t. SO to speak. the poop deck
There tho heavy albaross, with its great long wings
and web feet, became powerless to escape because
it could not rise from rigid plane surface and could
not waddle over to the side and tumble of
count of the rail. So the bird Topped about pris-
oner. staring with its large gazee-like eyes in won
der and fear at people, spars and sails. The common
brown short tailed albatross. of which species we
have caught good many. will measure from tip to
tip Of wing about to eight feet. and stands up
right thirty inches. Strange to say this bird.
that lives and on the and sleeps the
heaving waves gets sick the greenest landsman
as soon it is ships deck. All that captured
staggered about for while and then discharged the
contents Of their stomachs on the deck. At frsr
thought this might be the effect of fear, but no.
tccd several OF them for hour after capture drop
ping clear water from their beaks, il it
secretion something like saliva. passing OIL under
the influence of genuine seasickness. Gentle
these birds look, they will snap passing leg and
would break away a finger two. think. If they
got good chance. Their wings are long, three
pointed sails. which they fold with awkward look
ing motion when they are alighing in the water. 1t
would that. in order to rise out Of the water,
the albatross must rapidly work his wings until he
gradually gets air under them. Then he is able
to rise. When alightng he lifts the wings
very high and approaches the surface hat de-
scending gradient that when his feet touch the
water he spreads them wide forward to catch the
water and stop his way. In this manner he can de-
scend into rough sea without being washed over
by the waves. Under the heavy feathers large
number of curious parasites infest the plumage.
Some of these quite large. being 3-16 Of inch
in length and about ugly as they made. Our
naturalist. Mr.. Newcomb has fine skin ready for
packing away and some other specimens Of the anat
omy OF this remarkable fowl.


Occasionally while south Of latitude 40 deg,
north noticed turtles floating on the surface Of
the calm We made attempt to get any Of
these. it would not be worth the trouble. and be-
sides. the average turtle is by no means
such q d. f.. Bardwen Slote would say.
to walt for boat when he sink
comfortably out of sight; allowed these curl
creatures to sleep ON and snore II they wanted
to do SO in peace. Mother Cary's chickens and
petrels sometimes came near the ship. and as we
got north puffins. glaucus. gulls and gulllemots.
but pursued their of the surface with
such Independence never to be fairly within the
range OF the tempting influences of our porkfat or
other delicate morsels set to capture the unwary
birds.


THE JEANETTE.


Having discussed the and sky and the fowls Of
the air. may. with propricty. turn attention to our
ship. little world for the tima being. and give
you some idea of her performance You aware
that when leaving San Francisco loaded
down to the doubling" top of the
sheathing of thick plank that protects tho
ship from near her Deck line to near her
keel In consequence Of this immersion
the least swell or broken water gave wet decks.
and It was uncomfortable for some days. But,
coal was burned away at the rate Of about Ave
tons per day. the Jeanette began to rise slowly out
OF the water and Of got dry footing quite
soon. 1t cannot be denied. however. that very
fast steamer with her large coal consumption is Of
possible in the Arctic The speed Of the
Jeanette win perhaps be ample for all purposes
among the pack ice. and any fast and favorable
ming must be made with sail and steam combined.
We carry under full canvas mainsail, topsail and
topgailantsal on mainmast; fore and aft sail.
squaressil. topsail and topgallantsail
foremast. and spanker on our mizzenmast. and
staysail jib and fyingjib. All these sails new,
and made with great care at the Mare Island Navy
Yard We have another and old suit of sails slowed
below. which is available at any time. The run
ming rigging is all new, and the fore and main
masts are fitted with rolling topsail yards. which
be worked from the deck. and are. therefore, of
great advantage in saving the crew from exposure
aloft when furling sail. The sound sticks
with a decided rake aft commonly seen in English
built ships Nearly everybody has read in novels
Of the "long. low. rakish looking schooner" that
hove in sight just as the hero about say do
something remarkable. Well. IL the Jeannette was
schooner instead Of bark rgged she would look long
and low and rakish. The poop deck begins about
half way between the main and mixxen masts, and
our living apartment. the chart rooms and
the cabins of the captain and first lieutenant In
the living room where VIC dine there is long table
pierced by the mizzenmast, harmonium and book
case. There is just for chairs between the
table and the walls of the partitions
separating IL IRON the chart rooms at
each side. The port chart room is di-
vided up into three parts by imaginary
lines which separate the domain OF the
surgeon. with his ominous looking apparatus and
grim array of physic bottles. from that OF the
naturalist with his equipment for skinning and pre-
serving specimens. and that part where some of my
.babies." as call the boxes OF scientific instru-
mcns. slowed for safe keeping In the starboard
right hand chart room have the main
part OF tho ships library. the smaller scientific
instruments. tho navigators department and
sundry other articles which go TO make up that
curious sum tota-a ships supplies for Arctic
voyaging. Behind the cabin. in u compartment