EPISODES 



403 



ite rock, they would rest for an hour, eat their dinner, 

 and talk of their successes or disappointments. I often 

 regret that I did not take sketches of the curious groups 

 formed by my young friends on such occasions, and when, 

 after returning at night, all were engaged in measuring, 

 weighing, comparing, and dissecting the birds we had 

 procured ; operations which were carried on with the aid 

 of a number of candles thrust into the necks of bottles. 

 Here one examined the flowers and leaves of a plant, 

 there another explored the recesses of a Diver's gullet, 

 while a third skinned a Gull or a Grouse. Nor was one 

 journal forgotten. Arrangements were made for the mor- 

 row, and at twelve we left matters to the management of 

 the cook, and retired to our roosts. 



If the wind blew hard, all went on shore, and, except- 

 ing on a few remarkably rainy days, we continued our 

 pursuits, much in the same manner during our stay in the 

 country. The physical powers of the young men were 

 considered in making our arrangements. Shattuck and 

 Ingalls went together; the captain and Coolidge were 

 fond of each other, the latter having also been an officer; 

 Lincoln and my son being the strongest and most deter- 

 mined hunters, generally marched by themselves ; and I 

 went with one or other of the parties, according to cir- 

 cumstances, although it was by no means my custom to 

 do so regularly, as I had abundance of work on hand in 

 the vessel. 



The return of my young companions and the sailors was 

 always looked for with anxiety. On getting on board, 

 they opened their budgets, and laid their contents on the 

 deck, amid much merriment, those who had procured most 

 specimens being laughed at by those who had obtained 

 the rarest, and the former joking the latter in return. A 

 substantial meal always awaited them, and fortunate we 

 were in having a capital cook, although he was a little too 

 fond of the bottle. 



