SOME NARROW ESCAPES 
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Felix and Otsego were lost with all hands. The 
wreck of the latter was found on the north-east end 
of Yetorup, but no trace of the Felix was ever met 
with ; she was supposed to have capsized. Both 
the Penelope and the Rose had a very bad time, but, 
fortunately, weathered the storm without serious 
damage. 
From this time until we reached port we had 
rather more wind than we wanted, but it was fair, 
and we arrived in Yokohama on November 14. 
Thus ended the season of 1885. Our total catch 
was 674 seals and four otters. 
The year 1886 commenced unfavourably, the 
man whom I had engaged as shipkeeper being 
accidentally shot through the throat by a hunter, 
and dying from the effects of the wound. I shipped 
another man, and we sailed on April 20. When in 
latitude 38° 54', longitude 142° 6', approximately, 
we passed close to a submarine disturbance. From 
the vessel it had the appearance of a boiling spring 
in the midst of the surrounding water. The sea 
for a space some 70 or 80 yards in diameter was 
forced up in a confused, bubbling, jumping mass, 
above the level of the water around it. A slightly 
sulphurous odour was noticed. We passed within 
a hundred yards of the disturbance, but were going 
too fast to take any soundings. 
We arrived on April 29 off Yetorup, and got one 
small otter. Three weeks later we got our second. 
On May 22, whilst lying off the north coast of 
Ketoi, we had a remarkable escape from being 
wrecked. Where we were anchored was bad hold¬ 
ing-ground, the bottom being covered with round 
boulders about the size of a man’s head. The high 
