OOO 
WE ATTACK THE COAL-STRATUM. 
of it or what to expect next. Fortunately, we still had 
seven fathoms under us, and, as it only fell one niore, our 
minds were put to rest. 
The morning after our timely discovery of coal, we 
“called all hands*’ bright and eai'l}--, and sent Lawton, our 
chief-engineer, with his twelve firemen and coal-heavers, 
to attack it with pick and shovel, and to pronounce upon 
its quality. 
lie had orders to continue digging if he found it 
adapted to our furnaces, while the first lieutenant himself 
was ordered to have the bags and boats in readiness to 
bring it on board as it was dug out by the shore-party. 
J^ow, this was going to work without delay; but, as the 
first day would be likely to pass before they could get out 
enough to make it worth while to commence the trans- 
portation, several of iis took advantage of the unexpected 
holiday to shoulder our guns and take a boat for the coal- 
stratum, which we proposed examining first and then 
starting back into the country for a bear-hunt as soon 
as our curiosity should be satisfied. 
Tlie wind was blowing quite fresh from seaward as we 
started; a heavy swell was also setting in through the 
channel which we had to cross, and the tide was falling 
so I'apidly that we feared grounding inside of the hook 
before we should be able to reach the landing. It was 
quite cold, too, the air being down as low as 45° Fahr., 
and the water at about 48° ; so that it would have been 
any thing but comfortable to have grounded near the 
middle of the extensive mud-flat and found ourselves 
under the necessity of w'ading on shore, or remaining in 
the boat wdtli the retreating water breaking over us and 
