CHAPTER XI. 



BY the time we had dined, cleaned our rifles, and skinned 

 the otters, but a short time remained for sleep. That which 

 we had was of the soundest ; nevertheless, five o'clock saw 

 us again in the boats, pulling up the coast, though the 

 breeze was a trifle strong and the sea consequently nasty. 

 It was not long before an otter was sighted and, after 

 a short, sharp chase, hauled on board, a bullet from Snow's 

 long Kentucky catching him at long range as he topped a 

 wave. Unfortunately, wind and sea began to get worse 

 instead of better, and we were soon forced to take shelter 

 under the lee of a mass of rocks, from the centre of which 

 rose a lofty pinnacle partially covered with bent grass and 

 other coarse vegetation. The base, in extent about a couple 

 of acres, was quite bare even of seaweed, being completely 

 swept by violent seas. A narrow, shallow passage, that 

 afforded a landing, separated the rock from the mainland, 

 which as usual consisted of water-beaten cliffs, shutting off 

 all communication with what lay beyond. To the north 

 several columnar rocks rose tall and grim, and gave a 

 suitable name to the locality The Pinnacle Rocks. 



On this barren spot we passed that and the following 

 night. The boats, carried to the lee side of the big rock 

 and covered with their sails, afforded some shelter from 

 the cold and fog. The days were spent in trying our rifles, 

 climbing, and running to keep ourselves w r arm. There was 

 no wood to make a fire, or we might have cooked some 

 portion of the old bull otter, however nauseous it might 

 be. Such few gulls as had nests were unapproachable, and 

 our only food consisted of wild onions, a fair supply of 

 which we discovered. 



