HUNTING THE SEA OTTER. 153 



of summers asserting itself. Such conditions of continual 

 conflict could only be productive of fog, rain, and sudden 

 storm. 



On August ist we left the schooner very early in the 

 morning, having deserted our last anchorage a couple of 

 days before, beating slowly up the coast amidst fog and 

 light airs from the north and anchoring beyond Hitokatpu 

 Bay, in what we called Hot Spring Bay, on account of a 

 number of hot springs that bubbled up out of the sea some 

 distance from the shore, which they enveloped in steam. A 

 lucky shot bagged an otter not a couple of hundred yards 

 from the vessel ; but we failed to see another, and, as the 

 fog grew denser, we landed at noon for a couple of hours 

 beneath the great bluff that guards the eastern extremity of 

 Hitokatpu Bay. 



So steep was the mountain side as it rose from the sea 

 that it was only by using our sheath knives that we were 

 able to climb for a short distance to pick some of the cran- 

 berries and flowers that grew in profusion on its side : 

 pinks not sea pinks yellow lilies of two kinds, bluebells, 

 and yellow iris. 



As the fog cleared a little we started again on our return, 

 and were successful in shooting three more otters before we 

 reached the schooner at seven o'clock. 



Weighing anchor next morning, we sailed and drifted 

 up the coast under slight and intermittent breezes, and 

 brought up for the night not far from Gull Island, but did 

 not leave the schooner, as the fog was very dense and we 

 were anxious to get further north if possible. 



After a quiet night we got off early next morning, but 

 did not leave the vessel until later, when we were opposite 

 the curious basaltic rocks which had excited our curiosity so 

 much when we had first seen them nearly two months 

 before. We rowed a long distance down the coast, but 

 only saw two otters, one of which we shot. The day turned 

 out better than we expected, as the fog grew thinner 

 towards midday, and there was scarcely a breath of wind. 



