MODERN CRUSOES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20072, 9 October 1928, Page 11

MODERN CRUSOES.

THE GREAT BARRIER REEF* ARDENT SCIENTISTS AT WORK. BUSY LIFE ON LOW ISLAND* I;Y f T. C'. XtOUGHLEY. (All Rights Reserved.) , How many millions of boys—and girls ■ have longed during the last few centuries to be Robinson Crusoes and to live on a desert isle, with a handy Man Friday or two ? And how few have ever seen their dreams come true. . Away up on Low Island, 40 miles from. Cairns, Queensland, a party of British and Australian scientists—who are investigating tho secrets of the Great Barrier Reef system—are playing Crusoes with modern improvements, including a wireless set that will not work and an amateur barber. And they are doing research work that should be of the greatest economic value, as well as of enthralling scientific interest. They aro to spend 13 months on Low Island. Mr. T. C. Roughley, economic zoologist to the Technological Museum, Sydney, who is studying Queensland oysters for tho State Government, who has visited Low Island, tells of his experience there. He writes: A typical dav on the island with tho British Barrier Reef expedition runs in this way. Tho dressing bell rings at 7.30 a.m. and that for breakfast at 8. There would be ample time to dress if the bell went at five to eight, for dressing consists of donning a shirt and a pair of shorts. Yes, two of tho ladies, also. Tbo other two prefer the conventional skirt. Breakfast commences with oatmeal, which Sir. Orr, tho most Scotch member of the party, will not eat. Incidentally, it may be stated that ho will also not touch whisky, from which it may be inferred that ho learnt his Scotch in a correspondence school. The Work of the Day, Breakfast over, the members of the party scatter, each to perform th'e duties planned tho night before. If tho tide is off the reef, topees and sandshoes aro adjusted, collecting gear prepared, and singly, or in parties of two or three, an excursion is made to tho reef. Specimens of trocbus and other molluscs, bech-do-mer, starfish, worms and a host of other groups are carefully collected for laboratory work later in tho day; growth increases of marked animals are recorded; temperatures of the water in many situations noted, and manv observations of a general nature made. Then the irregular return of the various parties with their spoils. Dishes are got ready, microscope slides prepared, dissecting instruments displayed, and one by ono tho innermost secrets of the various animals are probed. Maybe the state of ripeness of the gonad will bo discussed; Dr. Yongc may bo asked to examine a microscopical preparation and pass judgment thereon, but always the work is going on. The whole laboratory is a hive of industry; everyone tries to cram two days' work into one. In tbo meantime, tho off-shore party has proceeded to sea in tho party's-launch with baskets full of sample bottles, water bottles, depth recording instruments and othtr apparatus essential to tho work. And what a lively launch it is. It would try experienced seamen, and Mr. Russell and Miss Marshall, who do tho off-shore investigations, aro not good sailors. IJost of their work is done with the boat either at rest or moving very slowly by means of a small sail. In the Laboratory. "During the afternoon everybody is at his allotted post in the laboratory. Mr. * Russell is sorting out his planktpn; he counts with infinite patience his minute copepode, his tunicates, his decapods, his siphonophores his—everything the net has yielded; he compares his counts with previous catches; he theorises on tho cause for variations. Miss Marshall, too, ; is counting her diatoms, and her flagellates.' Mr. Orr, with hands full of test tubes and ovens roaring, is analysing, always analysing. Dr. and Mrs. Stephenson are dissecting, always dissecting. And Mr. Otter—on those boring organisms; and the day so short! And Dr. Yonge, now at I ono bench, now at another, is supervising everything, helping to account for this, helping to explain that. Dr. Yonge's enthusiasm pervades everybody, every* thing. Always available, always careful, ho is an inspiration to the party. Ho leads. After dinner, work and moro work; thei remainder of those gonads have to bo examined; tho counting of tho plankton is not yet half done; the analysis of tho water samples is far from complete. And those boring organisms; if tho day would only last longer; if Mr. Otter could only divide himself, by budding or any other convenient method of division, into half a dozen Mr. Otters; ah! then ho mighu get somo work done. Scientists Over a Wash Tub. Then there is tho washing to bo dona. Tho men havo to wash their shorts; the women their shorts, also. There is something hopelessly incongruous in a woman of science ovor a wash-tub and its mass of foaming lather. And then tho barbering. Sunday is tho barber's harvest. I don't know how it was discovered, whether special examinations woro set; but Mr. Russell has < been officially appointed barber. Perhaps ho just evolved. As ho shingles the hair of tho ladies, ho at least looks like a barber. With his iscissors, and comb, with his body contortions, now on his toes, now on his haunches, ho would adorn Madamo's beauty parlour anywhere. There is almost complete freedom from • pests on tho island. There are rarely any flies or mosquitoes, and sand-flies are confined to tho mangroves on tho eastern sido of the lagoon, as I found to my cost when I went thcro looking for oysters. Small brown ants, however, aro plentiful, and woo betido any specimens left within their reach! Fresh water is a source of concern, however. It has to bo brought in launches from tho mainland, and tho supply rigidly conserved. A daily shower is out of tho question, but swimming is a delightful substitute. : The sea water is always warm; indeed, « has been found that tho temperature ° tho ocean water at Low Island in winter is considerably , of the south coast ,of , rJ r V>, mid-summer. ,Hot baths w«l bo tb "* s " e y