26 ALEXANDER AGASSIZ 



Owing to the foggy weather but little surveying was 

 done ; as there were practically no observations to work 

 up, this left the day free. Agassiz was never a man 

 who could spend the time doing nothing; so in self- 

 defense he turned to the study of marine animals, mak- 

 ing notes and drawings which he sent to his father to 

 show the character of the fauna. Copies of these letters, 

 written in French and too technical to be given here, are 

 preserved in a crumbling old letter-book. They show a 

 wide familiarity with the subject, remarkable in a young 

 man of twenty-four who was just starting life as an 

 engineer. 



It was while cruising in these waters that he first 

 learned of the existence of the Canadian branch of 

 the family, through the letter of an irate stranger who 



wrote, " Unless you take your d sheep off my ranch, 



I will shoot you at sight." 



On another occasion his restlessness of mind got him 

 into a scrape that only his skill as an oarsman saved 

 from being a tragedy. While the Fauntleroy lay an- 

 chored somewhere in the Gulf of Georgia doing nothing, 

 he put off by himself in a light boat, came across an 

 Indian graveyard, and stepped ashore to inspect it. 

 After a time he chanced to look up and saw two canoes 

 filled with Indians racing for him from different direc- 

 tions. He jumped into his boat, but was no sooner under 

 way than he quickly saw that the canoes were approach- 

 ing at such an angle as to be sure to intercept him. It 

 meant death to be caught, and he instantly formed a 

 plan of escape. Rowing along steadily he reserved his 

 force, and waited till the canoes full of shouting sav- 

 ages were close upon him ; then with a tremendous spurt 

 he slipped out between their bows. The canoes came 



