THE VOYAGE OF THE HASSLER 131 



on a broad dry beach which seemed completely built 

 of loose sea-washed shells. It was a steep slope of 

 shells, making a bank some fifteen feet high, worn down 

 on the summit to a flat surface which made a broad 

 level walk and a nice seat. Wishing to see what was 

 the character of the country behind the beach, I 

 started at once for the sandy slope beyond the shells 

 covered with stubble and low beach cactus, and was 

 running up to get my view before the sun should go 

 down when I heard Agassiz shouting to me to come 

 back. As I did not turn immediately one of the sailors 

 came running full speed to tell me that a very deadly 

 serpent had been killed about five minutes before 

 by Steindachner in those very bushes. I immediately 

 consented to postpone a further investigation of the 

 scenery and returned with remarkable celerity to the 

 shore. Here we sat down on the clean dry shells and 

 watched them draw the seine and enjoyed the sunset 

 over the lonely beach and bay. As the light died out 

 the men built bonfires on the beach, and their fitful 

 blaze succeeded the twilight glow. Then we returned 

 to the ship, and all gathered in the ward room and 

 with the help of a bottle of champagne in honor 

 of somebody's birthday (birthdays are astonishingly 

 frequent on board this ship) we talked over the ad- 

 ventures of the day and laid the plans for tomorrow. 

 This morning (in a very imperfect state of toilet) 

 I was on deck at five o'clock to see the sun rise. A 

 party went off to explore the southern side of the bay, 

 which is thought to be wooded and somewhat differ- 

 ent in character from this. Agassiz stays to superin- 



