168 ELIZABETH GARY AGASSIZ 



Now let me tell you about the new ones. There 

 were (or are to be eventually) two big and very nice 

 looking barracks — each to have four laboratories 

 on the lower floor and twenty-five sleeping-rooms 

 on the upper. Of these one building is up, but when 

 we arrived had no floors — the other is represented 

 only by the foundation. The wonder is that they 

 are there in any shape, considering that the lumber 

 was landed on the island hardly five weeks ago. At 

 first the aspect of things was discouraging, but the 

 architect does not accept failure any more than 

 Agassiz, and he told us his plan was to complete 

 the floor of the first story, put up a partition, and di- 

 vide it into great camps, one for the ladies and one for 

 the gentlemen, — then the furniture could all be 

 put out and arranged, and gradually as the rooms 

 were completed above, each could move to their own 

 quarters. The next day was Sunday, but Flanders 

 made a thrilling address to the carpenters — told 

 them the object of the building — not for business, 

 not for money, but for instruction, and he thought 

 that on this occasion, considering the emergency 

 and the motive, their duty was to make the day one 

 of work, not of rest. They agreed, and before night 

 the floors above and below were nearly completed. 

 With the help of one or two boys and Dr. Wilder, 

 Mrs. Burns, Mrs. Wilder, and I unpacked and 

 washed all the glass and china for dormitories and 

 dining-room, — no light task, I can tell you, for it 

 consisted of twenty-four dozen plates, six dozen 

 cups and saucers, vegetable and meat dishes without 



