MURRAY: ALEXANDER AGASSIZ. 



147 



The Alexander Agassiz before the death of his wife in 1873 was, in 

 my opinion, a very different man from the Alexander Agassiz after 

 that sad event. The first Alexander Agassiz I had seen, but I knew 

 him only very slightly. I have pictured him as he appears to me from 

 his correspondence, from what I have heard from his intimates, and 

 from his own lips. The second Alexander Agassiz I knew well, long 

 and intimately; he was during the last thirty-four years one of my 

 most intimate and valued scientific friends. 



During his visit to the "Challenger" at Halifax he promised to 

 come to England on the return of the Expedition to see our deep-sea 

 treasures. * When he arrived in Edinburgh I referred to the death of 

 his wife, but he held up his hands and said, " I cannot bear it." His 

 expression was such that the subject was never again mentioned, 

 although he frequently spoke about his boys. He spent fully two 

 months in Edinburgh, but would not at that time attend any social 

 functions. Every day from early morning till as long as day-light 

 lasted he assisted me in opening boxes and bottles and in separating 

 out the various groups of marine organisms, especially selecting the 

 Echini, which he was to take to America, having consented to describe 

 this group of organisms for the Report on the Scientific Results of 

 the Expedition. While this work was going on we had abundant 

 opportunity for discussing the work and results of the expedition and 

 every aspect of the new science of the sea. I was relatively young, 

 and often recounted to him the comic and other incidents of the 

 voyage, and he would smile and seem amused. His attitude was, 

 however, in striking contrast to the boisterous merriment of Haeckel 

 when engaged with me in the same place and in similar occupations. 

 On the conclusion of his visit he wrote to Wyville Thomson on Jan- 

 uary 23, 1877:— 



"I can't tell you what a pleasant time I have had in Edinburgh, 

 thanks to you and Lady Thomson. It is really the first time since 

 the death of father and my wife that I have felt in the least as if there 

 were anything to live for, and I hope you have put me on the track 

 to get into harness again and do my share of the work I have to do, if 

 not with pleasure, at least cheerfully." 



During the last thirty-five years of his life Alexander Agassiz's 

 activities and interests were many and varied. The control and 

 direction of the Calumet and Hecla Mines demanded frequent visits 

 to the West, and there we find him conducting valuable experiments 

 in the distribution of underground temperatures in the great depths 

 of the mine. We also find him producing carbonic acid gas to put 



