As with all ships, life on the Pathfinder followed a set routine that was governed by a rigid social structure. The hierarchy of virtually all survey ships was headed by the captain - thence executive officer, chief engineer, and possibly a designated operations officer (although no mention of this function is made in the annual reports, this was generally the third highest ranking commissioned officer), followed by junior officers, sometimes civilian mates, a chief writer (similar to a chief yeoman today), surgeon, chief petty officers, and civilian crew similar to navy enlisted personnel.
When first coming to the Philippine Islands, the ship had Navy enlisted personnel as chief petty officers and lower ranking crew members. However, these personnel were soon replaced by native Filipino seamen. While the Pathfinder was underway and not surveying, the ship routine would be similar to a merchant vessel or naval vessel with an officer of the deck or mate on the bridge, a helmsman and lookout, perhaps a quartermaster or equivalent, and engineers on watch in the engine room.
A contract for its construction was let on June 20, 1898 to Lewis Nixon of the Crescent Shipyard at Elizabethport, New Jersey. The design was prepared by F. W. Grogan, draftsman in the Bureau of Construction and Repair, Navy Department, and who subsequently superintended her construction. When finished the ship had 3 decks, 7 water-tight transverse bulkheads, and 15 water-tight compartments.
While on the working grounds this routine would change somewhat particularly when there were work parties put ashore or during launch hydrographic operations. Then the ship would either be anchored in one location or move short distances in order to efficiently deploy the work parties. All would be hustle and bustle when these parties were preparing for departure from the ship. Sometimes these work parties, particularly if proceeding to a distant mountain peak for triangulation observations, might be gone for two to three weeks at a time and be provisioned accordingly.
Besides the usual hazards of snakes, crocodiles, poisonous insects and fish, and various tropical diseases menacing shore parties, an additional hazard for the work parties was the possibility that the ship would have to leave the working ground to report to Manila.