A Fortnights Stay on Los Farallones 381 



the whaleboat. There were three or four rude huts built of 

 rough stone, by Russian whalers, who formerly frequented the 

 island for the sake of the seals and sea lions, which were said to 

 have been at one time abundant there. These huts must have 

 been long abandoned, for the floor was overgrown with grass, and 

 of the roof there was very little left. During our stay one of our 

 party shot a seal, the skin of which must have been of consider- 

 able value, as the fur was beautiful, but that was the only one we 

 saw. The sea lions, however, were plentiful enough, and were 

 fond of reposing on some flat ledges of rock, and basking in the 

 sun with their young calves. I am aware that the sea lion is 

 only a local name for these animals, but I do not know the 

 correct name. They are in shape like a seal, but are destitute of 

 fur. They are clothed with coarse yellow hair, not unlike pig's 

 bristles, and their length is ten to twelve feet. One of the whaling 

 party killed one of these sea lions, and, wishing to present the 

 skin to the infant Museum in California, I got permission to 

 appropriate it, and began to skin it with the assistance of one or 

 two others of our party. We quickly had the uppermost side laid 

 bare, but an unforeseen difficulty prevented our completing the 

 task. The united strength of our whole party was insufficient to 

 turn the beast over, so we were obliged to abandon the skin. 

 We captured, however, two little calves, and put them alive on 

 board the schooner ; pretty little creatures, with fawn-like eyes. 



We had been nearly a week on the island, and the hold of the 

 vessel was more than half full of eggs, when a gale of wind arose, 

 and the captain fearing a storm, thought we should pass the night 

 more comfortably in one of the huts, instead of sleeping on boards 

 as we had always hitherto done. We cast the other anchor, and 

 moored the vessel as securely as we could. We then brought our 

 keg of water and a day's provisions on shore, and made ourselves 

 as comfortable as circumstances would allow. 



The next morning the captain went out early, and in about a 

 quarter of an hour returned with a very dismal countenance, 

 saying, 



"Well, here's a pretty go.' 



"What's the matter. Captain?" 



"Why, she's gone !" 



" Who's gone ? " 



"Why, the schooner to be sure, "eggs and all." 



There was a dead silence for a minute, and we looked at 



