Locality:
Rongelap Atoll,
Kabelle Island.
Personnel:
Date:
August 26, 1964, Wed.
Weather:
Same 14.
Hot.
Water conditions:
Flat calm.
Gessel--ashore at Kabelle Island first thing in the morning
to complete sampling and measuring.
Thanks to the help of all
members, work at Kabelle was completed by 11:30 so that return
to the ship for a noon departure could be arranged.
Palumbo,
Welander, Williams helped Gessel measure plants
in the wash area between the island to the south of Kabelle,
also in the Pisonia grove near Pit #7.
grown well in a year's time.
and
Some of these trees have
The vegetation is closing the gap
between the islands mentioned and the sand is filling this area.
Collected coconuts in the area near Pit #7.
Jackson--Traps were set along lagoon edge in cocos planta-
tion, and in Messerschmidia-Pisonia forest.
forest,
Especially in the
trap disturbance by coconut crabs was extensive.
crabs were caught in the traps--but no rats.
Many
"My conclusion is
that no rats are present here."
Two rats--Polynesians--trapped alive on Enyu Bikini--were
individually placed in the water about 3/4 mile from Kabelle
Island.
Theyoriented toward the boat and tried to climb aboard
upon reaching it.
Observations lasted less than 1/2 hour.
this period, pictures were taken.
During
The rats swam strongly, some-