POWERFUL EYESIGHT. \\ /y ^ c- 77 



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islands stretched across our view, ending in a rising knoll at the left ; 

 over this I saw a continued display of hydraulic pyrotechnics that 

 would have delighted the most fastidious with its magnificence of 

 display. The waves dashing upon the upright side of the cliff sent 

 spray high in the air over the hilly part of the island, while long 

 lines of billows broke into foam all along the narrow stretch of 

 beach. Several displays of lesser importance were seen in other 

 directions, but none equalled this one. All through the day the 

 sight continued, and only closed with the night. 



With all this cold, wet rain, the thermometer has been averaging 

 about 50°, varying from 46° in the morning to 54° in the even- 

 ing. In spite of the weather some of the party went out and 

 shot a couple of ducks. In hunting these birds, which were eiders, 

 one has to proceed with the greatest caution. A good hunter will 

 detect a single duck or a flock of ducks, even in rough water, 

 at an immense distance. I have often been surprised at being told 

 that there was a flock in a certain direction, when I could see 

 nothing at all in that direction. Some five or eight minutes after- 

 wards I would think that I had discovered a flock some ways yet 

 in the distance, and upon giving notice to that effect would receive 

 the reply, ''why, have you just seen them ? that's the flock we're 

 after, the same I pointed out to you ten minutes ago." When 

 people live so much by their eyesight, it is not hard to see how 

 that sense can become so acutely developed as it is in so many of 

 the people on the coast. I think I have mentioned before that 

 men will recognize a vessel that they have once seen years after, 

 and at an immense distance away. They will tell a boat, and 

 the people who are in it, before one unaccustomed can distin- 

 guish that there are any people at all in it. This results, I think, 

 partly from what one might almost call "reasoning from analogy," 

 though no doubt eyesight \\2i?, a great deal to do with it. 



Wednesday the 6th. This is still another foggy day, and the sun 

 made us but a short visit this morning. I shot a couple of shel- 

 drakes, shellbirds as they call them : we had them for dinner and 

 found them very tender and dehcious. They were young birds, 



