QUEST OF THE FIREBIRDS 255 



eggs— for I knew she would steal them for food— and returned 

 to Mathewtown to give the flock time to get a better start, 

 construct more nests and become thoroughly attached to 

 their colony before disturbing them further. With some can- 

 vas and strips of plywood purchased from the Ericksons, I 

 built a boat of sorts. It was little more than a flat-bottomed 

 skiff, blunt at both ends, and very wobbly. By necessity it 

 had to be light to be transported to the lake, so I had to 

 sacrifice sturdiness for portability. 



To take the boat over the trail Mary and I had so labo- 

 riously followed was out of the question, so I had it carried on 

 a donkey cart to an arm of the lake which extended to within 

 about eight miles of the settlement. From there it could be 

 poled or rowed the fifteen or twenty miles to the flamingo 

 colony. I loaded it with food and water, with a tent and a 

 quantity of photographic equipment. By the time I had it all 

 ready the trade wind began to increase in intensity again, daily 

 growing more violent until on the date I scheduled for the 

 departure it was blowing a full gale. The shore where the boat 

 was grounded was piled waist deep in billowy foam and short 

 but steep waves pounded against the sand. 



With some difficulty I dragged the scow through the break- 

 ers and tried to climb aboard. The makeshift craft, overladen 

 with heavy equipment, plunged heavily and began to ship 

 water. The only way to save it was to jump out and lighten 

 the load. There was no help for it, nor any use in waiting until 

 the wind calmed; it might blow thus for weeks. Shedding my 

 already sodden clothes I started out pushing the boat ahead 

 of me to prevent the waves from slapping into my face. There 

 was no shelter from the wind, the lake was open from one 

 side to the other. Very distant on the horizon were some low 

 islands, and I estimated that by steady plodding I might make 

 them by sundown. 



