166 ELIZABETH GARY AGASSIZ 



of "The Anderson School of Natural History," and its 

 opening was announced for July 8, in spite of the fact that 

 this date allowed only two months for constructing the en- 

 tire establishment and equipping it with all its apparatus 

 and appointments. What took place when, on July 4, 

 Agassiz and Mrs. Agassiz arrived on the scene, and the part 

 that Mrs. Agassiz played in saving the situation is best 

 described by herself in the following letter. 



TO MISS SARAH G. GARY 



Penikese Island, July 7, 1873 



I HAVE had a good many odd experiences in my life, 

 but I think never one more original than this. When 

 we arrived in New Bedford the first greeting was that 

 the building on the island was utterly unfinished 

 no floors no shingling etc., etc., etc., a tale 

 of the most discouraging character. Agassiz took it 

 all with a calmness perfectly amazing to me; he said 

 the eighth of July was his date; this was the Fourth; 

 by the eighth he dared say everything would be 

 ready, and he should believe in no failure till he had 

 seen it. My heart sank to my shoes, for I could 

 not help asking myself what we should do with the 

 fifty-eight people to be lodged, clothed and comforted. 

 We passed the night at the hotel, listening to the 

 little boys firing crackers under our windows and 

 making night hideous; the next morning we started 

 with the steamer at nine o'clock. We brought with 

 us Professor Wilder, his wife and child, and invited 

 a stray lady teacher, whom we found at the hotel, 



