132 A NATURALIST OX THE "CHALLENGER 



j> 



heads as we robbed the nests, but were not nearly so fierce as 

 those we encountered further south. All round their nests 

 were scattered skeletons of Prions. 



I, with three sailors carrying my botanical cases, attempted 

 to scale the Peak ; we had a desperate struggle through long 

 grass and penguins, and at last had to come back beaten, and 

 made for the Phylica patches, where the ground was clear. 

 Thence I fought my way through the grass up to the top 

 of the lower ridge of the island, but though there were no 

 penguins on this slope, I never had harder work in my life. 



I had to stop every ten yards or so for breath, the growth of 

 the grass was so dense. My men lost me and never reached 

 the top. On the summit I found the rest of the party which 

 had come on shore, full of the hardships they had suffered 

 in getting through the rookery, and looking forward with no 

 pleasure to the prospect of going back again through it. 



Two spaniels had been brought on shore and were taken 

 through the rookery, partly by being carried, partly dragged. 

 One of these was lost on the way back ; he would not face the 

 penguins and could not be carried all the way, so got left behind, 

 and I fear must have died and been eaten by Skuas. 



Poor old " Boss," Lieutenant Channer's pet, though one- 

 eyed and too old to be much good for shooting, was a favourite, 

 and we were all very sorry for him. Three volunteers charged 

 back into the rookery in search, but it was of no use. He was 

 frightened to death and would not answer to a call. 



The dogs brought to Inaccessible Island by the two Germans 

 ran wild in the penguin rookery, notwithstanding their exertions 

 to keep them at home, and finally the dogs had to be shot. 

 They fed themselves on the eggs and young. 



After getting through the rookery on to the rocks, it was 

 amusing to see the party arrive singly and in twos at all sorts 

 of points of the edge of the rookery and on the verge of the 

 cliff, having lost their direction, and often to their disgust 

 having to turn back through the edge of the rookery again 

 to reach some spot where they could get down to the sea. 



The penguins were having their evening bath and pluming 

 themselves on our arrival. The number of birds here must be 



