THE WALRUS 153 



month of August, are able to accompany their 

 parents south towards the end of September. 

 Truly, the early development of these birds is 

 remarkable ! 



Leaving the lagoon, we followed the sea- 

 shore until we came to large basalt boulders. 

 From the bridge I had noticed a plank near a 

 certain rock, and this had aroused my curiosity. 

 We came duly to the spot and found against 

 a basalt block three wooden casks, one of which 

 had been opened. The names on these casks 

 informed that they contained provisions left 

 by the Ziegler expedition. The casks had been 

 cached, but a bear, either famished or curious, 

 had discovered them and torn one of them open. 

 The beast's labour was in vain, for the provisions 

 were contained in metal envelopes. Our atten- 

 tion was attracted by a large stone surmounted 

 by two smaller ones, near which was a quantity 

 of flotsam. Here we discovered seven more 

 casks buried in the same way in the snow, and 

 a bottle marked ' Kadia ' lying in a hollow in the 

 ice. We examined it, and found it to contain 

 coffee tablets and an envelope. In vain we 

 tried to extract the envelope, and I was finally 

 obliged to smash the bottle. The envelope, 

 green, but very well preserved, was addressed 

 ' To the Finder/ It contained a document 



