142 ELIZABETH CARY AGASSIZ 
to see them attracted to the openings of their holes by 
the disturbance, I suppose, looking out to see what 
was going on, like people when there is a noise in the 
street. One in particular attracted me. The opening 
of his house was just above a narrow ledge of rock, 
and he sat with his foot resting on the ledge, looking 
about from side to side with a certain curiosity ex- 
actly like a person sitting at the window looking out, 
with the hand resting on the window-sill. It was sad 
to see the poor things disturbed in their peaceful 
home. The gunners had taken their fowling pieces, 
but there was little need. They were in such numbers 
that sticks were more in request than guns; they 
were just knocked down with clubs and killed on 
the spot, or captured alive. Agassiz selected some 
fifty good specimens (among which were a variety of 
species) for alcoholic collection. 
March 28 
WE left Otter Bay this morning, I am sorry to say 
without faintly seeing Mt. Burney. It is the first im- 
portant feature we have missed by fog or clouds, but 
we could not wait for them to unveil from the morn- 
ing mists, for we had a long day to our next an- 
chorage, and it is not comfortable to be left out at 
night in these intricate channels where a “williwaw” 
[a sudden gust of wind] may come up any minute. So 
we started at the first peep of day and were prosper- 
ously proceeding, when just after breakfast there was 
a breakdown in the engine, reversing rod broken. It 
was rather a startling announcement, and we were all 
