i26 HUNTING THE SEA OTTER. 



mist and fog, and ten of clear weather; and, of the latter, 

 two were so stormy that hunting was impossible. During 

 the eight remaining we had shot thirty-seven otters, our 

 best day's sport yielding eight. From the foregoing it will 

 be seen how much the elements were against us. 



July began with no change in the weather cold, wet, 

 and fog still prevailing. In the afternoon of the first we 

 put off in the boats, and succeeded in getting an otter with 

 her pup. We returned before dark, and, while skinning 

 our victim, were boarded by one of the crew of a small 

 sloop anchored at a short distance, but which, on account 

 of the fog, we had not observed. He was anxious to obtain 

 a spare anchor and chain to replace one which had been 

 lost a few days previously. After a short time, our visitor 

 left, under promise that his request should receive con- 

 sideration, and, if possible, we would oblige them. We 

 made up our minds to do so, as, altogether, we had three, 

 when it was discovered that a new knife, which had 

 officiously been taken out of the boatswain's hand to assist 

 in skinning the large otter, had disappeared. The skipper, 

 consequently, went on board the sloop; but, to his inquiries 

 about the knife, all declared that it had not been brought 

 away ; he then stated that we could not supply them 

 with chain or anchor. So much for dishonesty. It need 

 scarcely be said that the crew were not Americans ; they 

 were composed of the flotsam and jetsam of Yokohama. 



Next day the boats put off at dawn, the weather having 

 slightly improved ; that is to say, the fog had thinned from 

 the consistency of a feather-bed to the density of butter- 

 milk. But, as will be seen from the brief summary of 

 last month, to go out only on clear days would have 

 reduced our hunting to a minimum. Moreover, the sea 

 otters seemed inclined to keep close inshore during thick 

 weather, so that there was an increased probability of 

 coming across them, without going out to sea, where our 

 own position would be more precarious. So the oars were 

 discarded for the more noiseless paddle; and, moving 



