CHAPTER XIX. 



ON THE " HASSLER.*' 



Invitation to Go Around the Horn — The Party — In the Gulf Weed — 

 A Singular Discovery — Inhabitants of the Gulf Weed — Nest of 

 a Fish — Defining a Species by its Skin — Off the Rio de la Plata 

 — Discovery of Tertiary Fossils —Living Crinoids — Glaciers of 

 Patagonia — Among the Fuegians — Discoveries at Lota — Recep- 

 tion in San Francisco. 



N the early days of 1871 

 Agassiz received a com- 

 munication from Profes- 

 sor Peirce to the effect 

 that he was about to send 

 a new vessel around the 

 Horn to San Francisco, 

 and asking him if he 

 would like to make the 

 trip in the interests of 

 science. The invitation 

 was accepted, and the sci- 

 entific party was finally 

 made up and included Agassiz, Count de Pourtales, 

 Dr. Franz Steindachner, Mr. Blake, and Dr. Thomas 

 Hill, ex-president of Harvard University. With his 

 usual interest Agassiz looked forward to the trip which 



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