46 HUNTING THE SEA OTTER. 



to express the oil. The remaining work is to stack the cubes 

 obtained from the presses, and when sufficiently dry they are 

 broken up and spread on mats in the sun and finally packed 

 in straw bags for exportation. Whether these are the same 

 species as those that frequent our coasts it was impossible 

 to say. Their flavour was far inferior, and no amount of 

 boiling or frying could make them palatable, much to our 

 disappointment, as we had counted on a treat. Their 

 insipidity might be owing to the low temperature of the 

 water, which is quite twenty degrees below that on the 

 coast of Scotland, but of course they were out of season and 

 spawning. After having had a look at the little settlement, 

 Snow and I strolled along the rocks and shot twenty-seven 

 small grey plovers and a couple of dovekies. A grand 

 council of war was held that night, in which it was decided 

 that next day we should go in a body to the Governor and 

 insist upon our property being given up ; at the same time 

 three of the boats should be lowered and all the crew taken 

 on shore, so that, once the d<5or of the godown open, we 

 should be in sufficient force to take away what we required. 

 Failing this, we would take our rifles with us, break open 

 the door, and defy them, for we were determined not to be 

 robbed in such a cool manner because the Governor 

 happened to be a rogue. Next morning, after breakfast, we 

 pulled ashore in the three boats, leaving only the cook and 

 Rover aboard. We went first to the interpreter's house 

 and were told he would see us in a few minutes, but we 

 soon discovered he had left by the back way to avoid 

 us. When we reached the Governor's house he came out 

 and informed us that the godown was already open, and 

 the anchors and chains were being got out. Doubtful 

 whether this were but a subterfuge, or whether a march 

 had not been stolen upon us, we were not long before we 

 reached the godown, and found, much to our delight, not 

 only the door open, but nobody there, the interpreter 

 having evidently gone to hurry up the coolies to do the 

 work. This was a rare piece of good luck, of which we 



