THE COASTS OF SICILY. 159 



appellation of La Santa Rosalia. Being intended 

 for fishing operations on a large scale, she had a 

 crew of seven men, five of whom certainly seemed 

 active and strong fellows, and of these, two spoke 

 Italian after a certain fashion of their own. M. 

 Milne Edwards, who was the natural leader of our 

 expedition, lost no time in entering into treaty with 

 the master ; and, by the useful intervention of our 

 friend M. Pierrugues, whose obliging and active 

 zeal in our service was indefatigable, a bargain was 

 soon struck. For the sum of thirty-six tari or sixteen 

 francs a day, the Santa Rosalia and her crew were 

 placed at our entire disposal. 



Without further delay we began the stowage of 

 our vessel. Our packing cases, which were installed 

 under the hindmost oarsman's seat, established a 

 separation, rather moral than real, between the 

 portion of the boat which was set apart for the men 

 and our special quarters in the stern. We were 

 enabled, by means of moveable stancheons, to spread 

 an awning across our domain by way of shelter 

 against the sun or rain. A few shelves, nailed 

 against the sides and protected by the upper board- 

 ing, served as the depository of our boxes, glass 

 bottles, tubes, and instruments. The bunker below 

 the helmsman's bench was made to contain the three 

 cushions, which we dignified with the name of mat- 

 tresses, together with the large sailors' capes which 

 were intended to take the place of sheets and blan- 

 kets. Our pump, which was securely fixed in the 

 bows, contributed not a little towards the peculiar 

 aspect presented by our vessel, which excited the 



