and scrambled down the slope in the most helpless manner. The
instant they reached the water, however, they seemed to be in their
proper element. They dived and bounded out of it and into it again
with the utmost agility; and so, diving and bounding and
spluttering, for they could not fly, they went rapidly out to sea,

On seeing this, Peterkin turned with a grave face to us and said,
"It's my opinion that these birds are all stark, staring mad, and
that this is an enchanted island. I therefore propose that we
should either put about ship and fly in terror from the spot, or
land valorously on the island, and sell our lives as dearly as we
can."

"I vote for landing, so pull in, lads," said Jack, giving a stroke
with his oar that made the boat spin. In a few seconds we ran the
boat into a little creek where we made her fast to a projecting
piece of coral, and, running up the beach, entered the ranks of the
penguins armed with our cudgels and our spear. We were greatly
surprised to find that, instead of attacking us or showing signs of
fear at our approach, these curious birds did not move from their
places until we laid hands on them, and merely turned their eyes on
us in solemn, stupid wonder as we passed. There was one old
penguin, however, that began to walk slowly toward the sea, and
Peterkin took it into his head that he would try to interrupt its
progress, so he ran between it and the sea and brandished his
cudgel in its face. But this proved to be a resolute old bird. It
would not retreat; nay, more, it would not cease to advance, but
battled with Peterkin bravely and drove him before it until it
reached the sea. Had Peterkin used his club he could easily have
felled it, no doubt; but, as he had no wish to do so cruel an act