432 AUDUBON 



cure from every blast that could blow. In a short time 

 we found ourselves under the roof of Captain Frankland, 

 the sole owner of the isle, of which the surface contains 

 about fifteen hundred acres. He received us all with 

 politeness and gave us permission to seek out its treas- 

 ures, which we immediately set about doing, for I was 

 anxious to study the habits of certain Gulls that breed 

 there in great numbers. As Captain Coolidge, our worthy, 

 commander, had assured me, we found them on their 

 nests on almost every tree of a wood that covered several 

 yacres. What a treat, reader, was it to find birds of this 

 kind lodged on fir-trees, and sitting comfortably on their 

 eggs! Their loud cackling notes led us to their place of 

 resort, and ere long we had satisfactorily observed their 

 habits, and collected as many of themselves and their 

 eggs as we considered sufficient. In our walks we noticed 

 a Rat, the only quadruped found on the island, and ob- 

 served abundance of gooseberries, currants, raspberries, 

 strawberries, and huckleberries. Seating ourselves on 

 the summit of the rocks, in view of the vast Atlantic, we 

 spread out our stores, and refreshed ourselves with our 

 simple fare. 



Now we followed the objects of our pursuit through the 

 tangled woods, now carefully picked our steps over the 

 spongy grounds. The air was filled with the melodious 

 concerts of birds, and all Nature seemed to smile in quiet 

 enjoyment. We wandered about until the setting sun 

 warned us to depart, when, returning to the house of the 

 proprietor, we sat down to an excellent repast, and amused 

 ourselves with relating anecdotes and forming arrange- 

 ments for the morrow. Our captain complimented us on 

 our success, when we reached the "Swiftsure, " and in 

 due time we betook ourselves to our hammocks. 



The next morning, a strange sail appearing in the dis- 

 tance, preparations were instantly made to pay her com- 

 mander a visit. The signal staff of White Head Island 



