1 6 HUNTING THE SEA OTTER. 



drifting into such a position, but the water was deep and 

 the bottom rocky, and having only one small anchor and 

 hawser aboard, it was thought more prudent to risk the 

 possible danger from the fort than to incur the chance of 

 losing our anchor. As it happened, anchors, of which we 

 had the most need, were the very things in which we were 

 most deficient ; three, at least, were absolutely necessary 

 for such a cruise as ours. For the islands which were our 

 destination were without a single harbour, or even fairly- 

 sheltered bay. The only chart we possessed gave but a 

 bare outline of the coast, and that, as we subsequently 

 discovered, not always correct. The terrific gusts of wind 

 which literally tore down the ravines or " woolled " down 

 the mountain sides silenced the roar of the surf, frequently 

 lifted the spray in steaming clouds to dash it in blinding 

 showers upon the deck ; under these circumstances, the 

 possession of good holding gear was a question of the 

 greatest importance. To be blown off the land at such a 

 time meant groping one's way for days, perhaps weeks, 

 helpless and powerless amidst fogs and currents, without 

 counting loss of time. On the other hand, those days are 

 exceptional indeed, even during the prevalence of the 

 calmest weather, when a thousand leagues of ocean, restless 

 and unrestrained, forget to fret against its island barriers 

 and hurl with sullen grandeur its giant combers on their 

 shores. We found it difficult to procure anything in the 

 way of anchors suitable to so small a craft. The one we 

 had was bought in Yokohama, and brought with us among 

 our stores and personal baggage in the steamer. It would 

 have been folly to start so lightly equipped in many 

 respects, had it not been that we expected to take in 

 many more stores, anchors included, at a point farther on 

 in our course, and just previous to encountering the more 

 dangerous navigation of the hunting grounds. 



The first night passed quietly, some amusement being 

 caused, when we turned in, by the discovery that our friends, 

 before leaving, had sewn up the legs -and arms of our 



