68 IN AUSTRALIAN WILDS 



covered. There were over one hundred nests, nearly 

 all containing eggs. 



Fishermen regard Cormorants as their worst 

 enemies. They assert that the birds take heavy toll of 

 edible fishes, and urge that the race should be ex- 

 terminated. It cannot be gainsaid that Cormorants 

 are fish-eaters, with hearty appetites ; but fishes are 

 so abundant in the Straits that the birds should not 

 be grudged a share in the harvest. 



Cat, Storehouse and Babel Islands lie to the east 

 of Flinders Island, the giant of Furneaux Group. We 

 arrived off Cat Island in fine weather. But the cap- 

 tain had warned us that, if the wind changed, he 

 would have to clear out, sharp. The wind did change. 

 We naturalists were all ashore when the steamer's 

 siren rang shrilly over the sea, twice, impatiently the 

 second time. We hastened to the boats, but one man, 

 who had wandered far around the coast on Storehouse 

 Island, caused delay. He was missed when the roll 

 was called. The sea was rising, and the wind began 

 to blow fiercely. Even the short passage to the 

 steamer was rather dangerous. Immediately all were 

 safe aboard, the vessel made for the open sea. She 

 had to win through a narrow channel, and all the time 

 the wind was pressing her towards the rock-bound 

 shore of Cat Island. Beyond the entrance to the 

 channel, we saw surf flying over a reef. It was a 

 passage perilous, or seemed so to landsmen, and none 

 of us was sorry when the steamer reached shelter 

 under Babel Island, where she rode out a stormy 

 night. 



Flinders Island, like its western sister, King Is- 

 land, is becoming civilised. But at the time of our 

 visit there were few inhabitants. We put in to 

 Killiecrankie Bay, where several half-castes were 

 living in little log huts. A ramble along the beach 

 to Killiecrankie was full of interest. Some of us 

 climbed high among the boulders, while others enjoyed 



