I was roused early to join the party who proposed to go out before sunrise to catch fish. But upon reflecting that I might again spoil the sport, I concluded that I would leave my father to go with I. P. Davis, 219and myself take a breakfast and dress comfortably. Accordingly I did not get up until after six and having finished a comfortable meal I passed a leisure hour in writing to my Wife a very full account of our expedition which paid me for missing the boat expedition.1 Thus the time elapsed between sunrise and the hour for the New Bedford Steamboat to call for us on her way to Nantucket.

My father and Mr. Davis having returned with moderate success, in time, we all took passage in a very good boat for Nantucket. Our passage of about five hours stopping a few minutes at Holmes’ hole2 was quite favorable and we reached this singular Island at about three o’clock. My father’s arrival had been expected and there was a very large collection of people assembled on the wharf for the purpose of looking at him. This is never pleasant, and with him particularly otherwise on account of his entire unfitness for public exhibition.

We walked up to the Hotel, a very indifferent one kept by a man named Starbuck, and after delay obtained our accommodations. We met here Professor Silliman and his son, and Mr. R. T. Paine who were very civil to us. The next visitor was Mr. C. Bunker whom I well recollected as a Classmate of my elder brother at Cambridge.3 He was deputed from a Committee to invite us to attend the lecture of Professor Silliman upon Geology to be held to night.

After tea, we went and heard the subject discussed of the coal formations, and the remains of the Sauri of whom Cuvier has made so much. Silliman is a very good popular Lecturer and succeeds in making a dry subject quite amusing. My father who was the Lion of the evening could not help going to sleep, much to the discomfiture of the party, but this is one of the unavoidables. We returned home and had one or two more to see us. Mr. Aaron Mitchell and Professor Silliman himself.