BIRD ISLAND AND SAINT CROIX 



along at its every-day pace, easily keeping abreast of 

 us. I do not think there is any breeding station of the 

 Malagas k, as these birds are called, round the south 

 coast of Africa with the exception of Bird Island. 

 These Gannets must demand a heavy toll from the 

 fishermen, for they are to be met with all along the 

 coast, certainly as far as Cape Town, where they are 

 to be seen often about the harbour. 



We had a very uneventful voyage to Bird Island ; 

 the captain and mate having little to do as regards 

 navigation, sat idly side by side behind the wheel. I 

 think they found time hang heavily on their hands, 

 until they came to a difference of opinion with regard 

 to another tug that was steaming along some four or 

 five miles distant from us, but rather hugging the shore. 

 They disagreed as to whether this boat was going faster 

 than we were or slower, and the question was warmly 

 discussed between them for two hours, with occasional 

 short intervals. Probably the mate was right, because 

 the captain rather lost his temper in a friendly way, 

 and ended the discussion by giving the mate an un- 

 necessarily vigorous slap on the shoulder to send home 

 some final argument before he went down below ; the 

 mate naturally was unable to reply, verbally or other- 

 wise, being tied to his post at the wheel. 



In due time we sighted the Bird Island Lighthouse, 

 standing up out of the sea and looking in the distance 

 no thicker than a needle. We were certainly fortunate 

 as regards the weather, for the sea had now settled 

 down to a smooth undulating swell, across which our 

 boat travelled steadily enough. Traces of the storm 

 of the previous day were, however, to be noticed in the 



