able, living and breathing things,--these panted as
they drifted by. At every respiration they expanded like the sudden
blossoming of a flower; then they closed quite as suddenly, and became
mere buds. When the round core of these sea-flowers was exposed to the
air--the palpitating heart was just beneath the surface most of the
time,--they withered in a breath; but revived again the moment the water
glazed them over, and fairly revelled in aqueous efflorescence.

"Bang!" It was the crash of an unmistakable gun, that shook the town to
its foundations and brought the inhabitants to their feet in an instant.
Out of the smoke loomed a shadowy ship, and, lo! it was the Alaska boat.
A goodly number of passengers were already on board; as many more were
now to join her; and then her prow was to be turned to the north star
and held there for some time to come. In a moment the whole port was in
a state of excitement. New arrivals hurried on shore to see the lions of
the place. We, who had been anxiously awaiting this hour for a couple of
long summer days, took the ship by storm, and drove the most amiable and
obliging of pursers nearly frantic with our pressing solicitations.

Everybody was laying in private stores, this being our last chance to
supply all deficiencies. Light literature we found scattered about at
the druggist's and the grocer's and the curiosity shops; also ink,
pens, note-books, tobacco, scented soap and playing-cards were
discovered in equally unexpected localities. We all wanted volumes on
the Northwest--as many of them as we could get; but almost the only one
obtainable was Skidmore's "Alaska, the Sitkan Archipelago," which is as
good as any, if not the best. A few had copies of the "Pacific Coast
Pilot. Alaska. Part I. Dixon's Entrance to Yakutat Bay,"--invaluable as
a practical guide, and filled with positive data. Dall and Whimper we
could not find, nor Bancroft at that time. Who will give us a handy
volume reprint of delightful old Vancouver?

We were busy as bees all that afternoon; yet the night and the starlight
saw us satisfactorily hived, and it was not long before the buzzing
ceased, as ship and shore slept the sleep of the just. By and by we
heard pumping, hosing, deck-washing, the paddling of bare feet to and
fro, and all the familiar sounds of an early morning at sea. The ship,
however, was motionless: we were lying stock-still. Doubtless everybody
was wondering at this, as I was, when there c