52 COLLECTOR'S RAMBLES 



mutton-fish, or abalone, which adhered to the rocks, 

 but was never found above low water-mark. It was a 

 species QiHaliotis, and when disturbed would hug the 

 rock so closely that the shell would be broken to frag- 

 ments before it could be removed. The method of pro- 

 curing them was to quickly insert the blade of a knife 

 under the animal and pry it off before it had time to 

 shut down. The shell had many holes along the side 

 through which protruded small tentacles : the inside 

 shone with prismatic colors. It will easily be imagined 

 that a good many such shells left the island in my 

 company. 



Barelli and I went collecting so much, and found so 

 many beautiful things, that soon nearly all the passen- 

 gers on the island were as interested as ourselves. 

 Every one tried to get as many kinds of specimens as 

 possible, and great was the rejoicing of the person who 

 found a new and handsome shell. Our quarters were 

 little more than drying-rooms for starfishes, shells, 

 crabs, and other marine life ; and the number of fine 

 specimens we gathered was very great. 



One evening we were startled by the news of the 

 death of the small-pox patient. It seemed hard to die 

 so far from one's home and friends. 



The nurse buried him within sight and hearing of 

 the restless sea, in the little graveyard on the hillside, 

 where several neglected mounds marked the last resting- 

 place of other unfortunates. 



