letion would call for a much larger appropriation.

During the month of April the thermometer ranged from 68 degrees at
sunrise to 86 degrees at noon and 80 degrees at sundown. The
prevailing winds during the summer months were the northeast trades,
varying from northeast to east southeast.

A cause of much annoyance has been the drifting of sand during high
winds, when it flies like driven snow, cutting the face and hands.
(This was so great an annoyance that on our first trip to Honolulu I
purchased for each person a pair of goggles to protect the eyes.)

Taking into consideration the dangers of navigation in a neighborhood
abounding with these coral reefs, the fact that they are visible but a
short distance only in clear weather, and that an entrance to the
lagoon could only be made in a smooth sea, it really seems a
questionable undertaking to attempt the formation of an anchorage here
for the large steamers of the Pacific Mail Company.

When the westerly gales blow, the mouth of the lagoon being, as in
most coral islands, on that side, the sea breaks heavily all over the
lagoon and no work can be done. On one occasion the workmen were
returning to the island from the entrance to the channel when one of
these gales came on and, as one of them told me, "It was a mighty big
conundrum at one time whether we would ever reach the shore."

II

THE WRECK

With the homeward-bound pennant flying from the mainmast head and with
the contractor's working party on board, we sailed from the Midway
Islands on Friday, October 29, at 4 P.M. for San Francisco. We had
dragged high up on the beach the scow from which the divers had
worked, secured the house doors, and taken a last look at the blinding
sand with thankful hearts for leaving it.

As Doctor Frank, our surgeon, and myself were walking down the beach
to the last boat off to the ship, there occurred an incident which I
will relate here for psychological students.

He remarked, as we loitered around the landing, that he felt greatly
depressed without being able to define any cause for it and that he
could not rid himself of the impression that some misfortune was
impending. I tried to cheer him up; told him that the "blues" were on
him, when he ought to be rejoicing instead; that we had a fair wind
and a smooth sea to start us on a speedy return to the old friends in
San Francisco. It was in vain, however; he expressed a firm belief
that we should meet with