34 HUNTING THE SEA OTTER. 



to lose touch of the schooner would be almost certain 

 destruction to those in the boats. For this to happen, 

 even when near the coast, was often bad enough, as 

 the surf was generally too heavy to admit of landing, 

 but when inshore we could always fasten the boats to 

 the beds of kelp, and this growing in twenty or thirty 

 fathoms spread the long leaves so effectually over the 

 surface as to prevent any sea from breaking. In this 

 manner, when unable to find the vessel, we afterwards 

 spent several secure but miserable nights. These difficulties 

 were bad enough but had to be risked. Wood and water, 

 however, would be required at least once a month, and with 

 a blockade, or even prohibition, approach to the shore, in 

 the event of discovery, might lead to capture and confisca- 

 tion. The fact also that the Governor of Nemoro, who, as 

 as already mentioned, had withheld our stores, was strongly 

 suspected of being the prime mover of placing obstacles in 

 our way, since capture of otters might interfere with his 

 perquisites, was calculated to cause us much uneasiness ; 

 we had already had annoyance enough and did not want 

 any more. 



For these particulars, which were sufficient to give us 

 plenty of food for thought, we were mostly indebted to one 

 of the crew of a small schooner which had been wrecked 

 early in the winter in Hitokatpu or Jap Bay, and who was 

 now being conveyed to Hakodate with a number of the 

 skins they had obtained, leaving the rest of his companions 

 on Yetorup to patch the vessel sufficiently to permit of their 

 return. 



It appeared from the account given by this man that 

 their vessel had started very late in the season, intend- 

 ing to remain all the winter amongst the islands to hunt 

 the sea otter. Though not yet very successful, all went 

 well until one night in the beginning of December they had 

 run into Hitokatpu, a large open bay, the only place bearing 

 any resemblance to a harbour on the whole of the eastern 

 coast. As the wind had fallen and the sea was quite calm, 



