THE VOYAGE OF THE HASSLER 131 
on a broad dry beach which seemed completely built 
of loose sea-washed shells. It was a steep slope of 
shells, making a bank some fifteen feet high, worn down 
on the summit to a flat surface which made a broad 
level walk and a nice seat. Wishing to see what was 
the character of the country behind the beach, I 
started at once for the sandy slope beyond the shells 
covered with stubble and low beach cactus, and was 
running up to get my view before the sun should go 
down when I heard Agassiz shouting to me to come 
back. As I did not turn immediately one of the sailors 
came running full speed to tell me that a very deadly 
serpent had been killed about five minutes before 
by Steindachner in those very bushes. I immediately 
consented to postpone a further investigation of the 
scenery and returned with remarkable celerity to the 
shore. Here we sat down on the clean dry shells and 
watched them draw the seine and enjoyed the sunset 
over the lonely beach and bay. As the light died out 
the men built bonfires on the beach, and their fitful 
blaze succeeded the twilight glow. Then we returned 
to the ship, and all gathered in the ward room and 
with the help of a bottle of champagne in honor 
of somebody’s birthday (birthdays are astonishingly 
frequent on board this ship) we talked over the ad- 
ventures of the day and laid the plans for tomorrow. 
This morning (in a very imperfect state of toilet) 
I was on deck at five o’clock to see the sun rise. A 
party went off to explore the southern side of the bay, 
which is thought to be wooded and somewhat differ- 
ent in character from this. Agassiz stays to superin- 
