ensuing spring. Their city is deserted of its numerous inhabitants, and
quietness reigns till nature prompts their return the following year,
when the same noisy scene is repeated, as the same flock of birds
returns to the spot where they were hatched. After raising a tremendous
tumult in this numerous colony, and sustaining continued combat, we came
off victorious, making capture of about a thousand eggs, resembling in
size, colour, and transparency of shell, those of a duck; and the taking
possession of this immense quantity did not occupy more than one hour,
which may serve to prove the incalculable number of birds collected
together. We did not allow them sufficient time, after landing, to lay
all their eggs; for, had the season been further advanced, and we had
found three eggs in each nest, the whole of them might probably have
proved addled, the young partly formed, and the eggs of no use to us;
but the whole of those we took turned out good, and had a particularly
fine and delicate flavour. It was a work of considerable difficulty to
get our booty safe into the boat--so frail a cargo--with so tremendous a
surf running against us. However, we finally succeeded, though not
without smashing a considerable number of the eggs.




THE SEA ELEPHANT.


I saw, for the first time, what the settlers call a _pod_ of sea
elephants. At this particular season these animals lay strewed about the
beach, and, unless you disturb them, the sight of a man will not
frighten them away. I was determined to get a good portrait of some of
them, and accordingly took my sketch-book and pencil, and seated myself