During these delightful fishing and boating excursions we caught a
good many eels, which we found to be very good to eat. We also
found turtles among the coral rocks, and made excellent soup in our
iron kettle. Moreover, we discovered many shrimps and prawns, so
that we had no lack of variety in our food; and, indeed, we never
passed a week without making some new and interesting discovery of
some sort or other, either on the land or in the sea.



CHAPTER XVII.



A monster wave and its consequences - The boat lost and found -
Peterkin's terrible accident - Supplies of food for a voyage in the
boat - We visit Penguin Island, and are amazed beyond measure -
Account of the penguins.


ONE day, not long after our little boat was finished, we were
sitting on the rocks at Spouting Cliff, and talking of an excursion
which we intended to make to Penguin Island the next day.

"You see," said Peterkin, "it might be all very well for a stupid
fellow like me to remain here and leave the penguins alone, but it
would be quite inconsistent with your characters as philosophers to
remain any longer in ignorance of the habits and customs of these
birds; so the sooner we go the better."