342 WITH THE U. S. NATURALISTS 



plates on Laysan, where he had set up a regular 

 dark room, Shan kept his large camera and plates 

 on a ledge of rocks in a small cave, blocking up 

 the entrance with stones so that the inquisitive 

 birds might not discover it and either peck at the 

 camera, or possibly, knock down the plates. He 

 was soon to be thankful for this precaution. The 

 small film camera he kept with him, in the dog tent. 



The first week passed and Shan's hopes were 

 high. Owing to the tameness of the birds, he had 

 secured a wonderful series of pictures, and, not 

 being pressed for time, he had taken them with 

 such care that he was well assured no better photo- 

 graphs had ever been made. When, therefore, on 

 the appointed day, he saw the Feather Man coming 

 across the smooth sea in the little motor-boat, he 

 was ready to light his fire and send up the signals 

 which declared that he was safe and that all went 

 well. 



By the time the second week was drawing to a 

 close, Shan decided that he had taken a sufficiency 

 of plates. There was no need to stay longer. 

 He was anxious to return, moreover, in order to 

 develop the plates that he had taken and check up 

 his results. 



The night before the boat was expected, towards 



