142 ELIZABETH GARY AGASSIZ 



to see them attracted to the openings of their holes by 

 the disturbance, I suppose, looking out to see what 

 was going on, like people when there is a noise in the 

 street. One in particular attracted me. The opening 

 of his house was just above a narrow ledge of rock, 

 and he sat with his foot resting on the ledge, looking 

 about from side to side with a certain curiosity ex- 

 actly like a person sitting at the window looking out, 

 with the hand resting on the window-sill. It was sad 

 to see the poor things disturbed in their peaceful 

 home. The gunners had taken their fowling pieces, 

 but there was little need. They were in such numbers 

 that sticks were more in request than guns; they 

 were just knocked down with clubs and killed on 

 the spot, or captured alive. Agassiz selected some 

 fifty good specimens (among which were a variety of 

 species) for alcoholic collection. 



March 28 

 We left Otter Bay this morning, I am sorry to say 

 without faintly seeing Mt. Burney. It is the first im- 

 portant feature we have missed by fog or clouds, but 

 we could not wait for them to unveil from the morn- 

 ing mists, for we had a long day to our next an- 

 chorage, and it is not comfortable to be left out at 

 night in these intricate channels where a "williwaw" 

 [a sudden gust of wind] may come up any minute. So 

 we started at the first peep of day and were prosper- 

 ously proceeding, when just after breakfast there was 

 a breakdown in the engine, reversing rod broken. It 

 was rather a startling announcement, and we were all 



