IN THE PACIFIC. 285 



there was an accidental depression in the outer 

 shell, causing a corresponding rise on the inner 

 surface, the fish had covered it over, thereby 

 forming a half pearl, from which it would appear 

 that the animal readily accommodates itself to 

 the presence of a foreign body. I believe that 

 whole pearls could be manufactured in the same 

 way by the introduction of a small substance, 

 such as a shot, or seed, for the fish to operate 

 upon. 



We had another day's shooting at San Joseph, 

 and bagged a deer, besides catching immense 

 quantities of fish. From thence we went back 

 to Pichilinque, and a few days afterwards 

 returned to Mazatlan. 



Whilst waiting for our freight, which was 

 daily expected from the mines, I took the 

 opportunity of spending a few days on shore in 

 the comfortable house of Messrs. Kelly and Co. 

 During this time one of our men was attacked 

 in the suburbs of the city by a Mexican, who 

 inflicted some terrible wounds upon him with 

 his machete. On being apprised of the circum- 



