merely out of sport, he let the bird escape.

We spent fully three hours on this island in watching the habits of
these curious birds, and, when we finally left them, we all three
concluded, after much consultation, that they were the most
wonderful creatures we had ever seen; and further, we thought it
probable that they were the most wonderful creatures in the world!



CHAPTER XVIII.



An awful storm and its consequences - Narrow escape - A rock proves
a sure foundation - A fearful night and a bright morning -
Deliverance from danger.


IT was evening before we left the island of the penguins. As we
had made up our minds to encamp for the night on a small island,
whereon grew a few cocoa-nut trees, which was about two miles off,
we lay to our oars with some energy. But a danger was in store for
us which we had not anticipated. The wind, which had carried us so
quickly to Penguin Island, freshened as evening drew on, to a stiff
breeze, and, before we had made half the distance to the small
island, it became a regular gale. Although it was not so directly
against us as to prevent our rowing in the course we wished to go,
yet it checked us very much; and although the force of the sea was
somewhat broken by the island, the waves soon began to rise, and to