200 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



numbers, that, if you could not get out of their way, you 

 would be run over. 



The oceanic birds were gulls, tern, Port Egmont hens, and 

 a large brown bird of the size of an albatross. The sailors 

 called them Mother Gary's geese, and found them pretty 

 good eating. The land birds were eagles or hawks, bald- 

 headed vultures, or what the seamen called turkey- 

 buzzards, thrushes, and a few other small birds. 



It is amazing to see how the different animals which in- 

 habit this place are mutually reconciled. They seem to have 

 entered into a league not to disturb each other's tranquillity. 

 The sea-lions occupy most of the coast ; the sea-bears take 

 up their abode in the isle ; the shags have post in the highest 

 cliffs ; the penguins fix their quarters where there is the 

 most easy communication to and from the sea ; and the 

 other birds choose more retired places. Captain Cook says 

 he has seen all these animals mix together like domestic 

 cattle and poultry in a farm-yard, without one attempting 

 to molest the other. 



Having left the land in the evening of the 3rd, they saw it 

 again next morning, bearing west. 



On the 14th, at nine o'clock in the morning, they descried 

 an island of ice, as they then thought ; but at noon were 

 doubtful whether it was ice or land ; it turned out to be the 

 latter, and was in a manner wholly covered with snow. 



On the 16th, they began to explore the northern coast, 

 and next morning they made sail in for the land. As soon as 

 they drew near the shore, having hoisted out a boat, the 

 Captain embarked in it, accompanied by Mr. Forster and 

 his party, with a view of reconnoitering before they ven- 

 tured in with the ship, which they afterwards declined, as 

 the inner parts of the country were savage and horrible. 

 The wild rocks raised their lofty summits, till they were lost 

 in the clouds, and the valleys lay covered with everlasting 

 snow. Nor a tree was to be seen, or a shrub even big enough 

 to make a tooth-pick. They found here nearly the same 

 animals as in New-year's Harbour. 



Since their arrival on this coast, the Captain ordered, in 

 addition to the common allowance, wheat to be boiled every 

 morning for breakfast ; but any kind of fresh meat was 

 preferred by most on board to salt. For his part, he says, 

 he was heartily tired of salt meat of every kind ; and though 

 the flesh of the penguins could scarcely vie with bullocks' 

 liver, its being fresh was sufficient to make it go down. 

 They called the bay they had been in Possession Bay. 



As soon as the boat was hoisted in, they made sail along 

 the coast to the east, for the space of eleven or twelve 

 leagues, to a projecting point, which obtained the name of 



