154 THE ATLANTIC. [chap. in. 



Help was, liowever, near. Early in August a multitude of pen- 

 guins landed at a " rookery " hard by their hut — stupid animals, 

 which will scarcely get out of one's way, and are easily knocked 

 down with a stick, and with fleshy breasts, wholesome enough, 

 if with a rather fishy taste; and in the end of August the fe- 

 males began to lay large blue eggs, sufficiently delicate in flavor. 



A French bark hove to oif the beach in the middle of Sep- 

 tember, and in her they shipped their seal-skins, and bartered 

 penguins' eggs with her for biscuits and tobacco. Had the 

 bark arrived a week earlier, the brothers would have left the 

 island ; but the eggs had set them up again, and they deter- 

 mined to remain a little longer. In October a fore-and-aft 

 schooner, which proved to be the Themis, a whaler from the 

 Cape of Good Hope, was seen standing toward the island. A 

 gale of wind blew her off for a couple of days, but she returned 

 and communicated, landing some men from Tristan, who had 

 crossed to see what the hermits were about. Their guests re- 

 mained a day and a half, and returned to Tristan. 



Early in November, that is, early in their second summer, the 

 brothers swam round the eastern headland — Frederick with 

 their blankets, the rifle, and a spare suit of clothes — Gustav 

 with powder, matches, and the kettle in an oil -cask. They 

 mounted by the help of the tussock - grass to the top of the 

 cliff, went over to the west side of the plateau, and built a small 

 hut, where they remained a month, living on goats' flesh and 

 fresh pork. On the 10th of December they returned home, 

 mended their thatch, dug the early potatoes, and put the gar- 

 den in order. 



On the 19th of December the Tristan men made their second 

 sealing expedition. They remained nine days on the island, 

 and killed forty seals, one sea-elephant, and eight of the remain- 

 ing twelve goats. They left some flour in exchange for an oil- 

 cask, and this was the last communication between the brothers 

 and the outer world until the Challenger called, eight months 



