186 THE WHALEMAN ; OR, 



he visited was called Souchou. The principal 

 food among the natives there was deer meat. 

 Articles of traffic carried from the coast were 

 whalebone, whale, walrus, and seal's blubber ; 

 in return the natives bring to the coast deer meat, 

 tobacco, spirits, &c. 



In order to while away our time at East Cape 

 before ships would make their appearance, or the 

 ice break up, we would frequently go bird's-egg- 

 ing. 



The cliffs facing the ocean were high and 

 steep, and various kinds of birds would make 

 their nests and lay their eggs in the crevices and 

 holes of the rocks. No one could ascend them 

 unaided from the bottom, nor would any one 

 dare descend them from the top of the cliff. 



We would, therefore, lower down one and 

 another from the top by means of ropes, or wal- 

 rus cord, fastened around his body ; with this 

 precaution, he could penetrate into recesses in 

 the cliff, and obtain as many eggs as were 

 wanted, and then those at the top would draw 

 him up again. This exercise furnished a source 

 of amusement, emulation, and personal daring ; 

 and the last, though not the least, the eggs thus 

 obtained gave an agreeable variety to our " bill 

 of fare." 



One incident occurred which came near having 



