736 LOUIS AGASSIZ. 



one another and with the beach moraine, ex- 

 tended far out from the shore like partly 

 sunken reefs. The pebbles and boulders of 

 these ridges were not local, or, at least, only 

 partially so ; they had the same geological 

 character as those of the drift material 

 throughout the Strait. 



The day was favorable for work, and there 

 was little to remind one of approaching win- 

 ter. A creek of fresh water, that ran out 

 upon one part of the beach, led up to a ro- 

 mantic brook, rushing down through a gorge 

 bordered by moss-grown trees and carpeted 

 by ferns and lichens in all its nooks and cor- 

 ners. This brook took its rise in a small lake 

 lying some half a mile behind the beach. 

 The collections made along the shore in this 

 excursion were large and various : star-fish, 

 volutas, sea-urchins, sea-anemones, medusae, 

 doris ; many small fishes, also, from the tide- 

 pools, beside a number drawn in the seine. 



Later in the day, when the party had assem- 

 bled around the beach fire for rest and refresh- 

 ment, before returning to the vessel, their 

 lunch was interrupted by strange and unex- 

 pected guests. A boat rounded the point of 

 the beach, and, as it came nearer, proved to 

 be full of Fuegian natives, men, women, chil- 



