132 



Penguins. 



ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 



Macquarie Island. 



more than eighteen feet, before two albatrosses 

 came down, and commenced picking at the dead 

 birds I had just killed, but not being able to make 

 any impression upon them, deliberately picked up 

 two of the eggs with their beaks, and in spite of 

 my efforts to prevent it, flew away with them. 

 The eggs were about the size of a goose's ; the 

 original colour seemed to have been white, but 

 they were so dirty that it was difficult to say with 

 certainty. They were no doubt the eggs of the 

 penguin, as I took them out of their nest, which 

 was only a small place scratched in the earth, just 

 big enough to hold one or two eggs, with little or 

 no grass, sticks, or any thing else to form a nest 

 of. I afterwards picked up a number of these 

 eggs, and another was found of the size of a hen's 

 egg, white, with a slight tinge of green. On 

 mounting the hill still higher, which was very 

 steep, and composed of volcanic rock, loose stones, 

 and a little soil mixed with birdlime, I found that 

 there were more of these birds than I anticipated. 

 The nests were within two feet of each other, with 

 one or two young ones in each; one of the old ones 

 watching and sitting on the nest, whilst the young 

 were trying ineffectually to nestle themselves under 

 the small wings of the old ones. The appearance 

 of the young was not unlike that of goslings, being 

 covered with a dark thick down. 



" These penguins are the eudyptes chrysocome ; 

 they are from sixteen to twenty inches in height, 

 with white breast and nearly black back, the rest 

 being of a dark dove-colour, with the exception of 

 the head, which is adorned on each side with four 

 or five yellow feathers, three or four inches long, 

 looking like graceful plumes. The birds stand 

 erect in rows, which gives them the appearance of 

 Liliputian soldiers. The sight was novel and beau- 

 tiful, and had it not been for the gabble, enough 

 to deafen me, I could have stayed much longer. 

 It was now time to return to the boat, when it 

 occurred to me that live birds would be preferable 

 to the dead ; so throwing the latter down, I seized 

 one old and a couple of young ones, and with three 

 or four eggs in my cap, made the best of my way 

 to the boat. It was now found impossible to hand 

 them on board, and not willing to surrender my 

 prize, a lead-line was thrown me from the boat, 

 but did not come near enough, and in my attempts 

 to get it, I was overtaken by a sea, and was thrown 

 violently against the rocks among the kelp, and 

 just made out to crawl on hands and knees beyond 

 the reach of the returning sea, somewhat bruised, 

 wet, and benumbed with the cold." 



At this juncture the quarter-master returned 

 with a large species of penguin over his shoulders, 

 but without the crown of feathers on his head. He 

 described a similar rookery, and also saw some 

 green paroquets with a small red spot on the head, 

 and an oblong slaty or purple spot at the root 

 of the bill, and with straight beaks. Mr. Eld was 

 too much exhausted to return with him to get 

 specimens, and the hour being late, it was neces- 

 sary to return to the boat, which had been waiting 

 for some time for them. The quarter-master suc- 

 ceeded in getting his penguins to the boat, but 

 Mr. Eld's began floundering about, and although 

 their legs were tied, managed to get into the water, 

 where they were at home, and were soon out of 

 reach. The tying of the legs did not seem any 

 impediment to their exertions in the water, and 



thus several interesting specimens of natural his- 

 tory were lost, the trouble that it cost making 

 them doubly valuable. With great difficulty Mr. 

 Eld reached the boat ; for, having again missed 

 his foothold, he fell among the kelp, but by the 

 timely aid of those on board he was rescued. After 

 an hour's tug at their oars, they reached the ship 

 in safety. 



The south end of Macquarie Island lies in lati- 

 tude 54 44' S., and longitude 1-59 49' E. The 

 island is high and much broken ; it is apparently 

 covered with verdure, although a long tufted rank 

 grass was the only plant seen by those who landed. 



The highest peak on the island is from twelve to 

 fifteen hundred feet high, and as far as our observa- 

 tions extended, it had neither tree nor shrub on it. 

 At 6 P.M. the ship filled away, and at eight was 

 abreast of the Bishop and Clerk. Macquarie 

 Island affords no inducement for a visit, and as far 

 as our examination went, has no suitable place for 

 landing with a boat. The only thing I had to regret 

 was not being able to make it a magnetic station. 



On the 1 1th and 12th nothing particular occurred 

 on board the Peacock. All sail was set, and run- 

 ning to the southward on the 13th, in latitude 61 

 30' S., longitude 161 5' E., the first ice-islands 

 were seen. The dip was observed with Lloyd's 

 and Dolland's needles, which made it 86 53'. 



There was no occasion on the night of the 1 3th 

 to light the binnacle-lamps, as newspaper print 

 could be read with ease at midnight. On the 14th, 

 while still making much progress to the south, and 

 passing occasionally icebergs and brash ice, the 

 water appeared somewhat discoloured. Robinson's, 

 Lloyd's, and Dolland's needles, gave, the same day, 

 in the cabin, 86 37' for the dip, and in the ward- 

 room, 86 46'. Albatrosses, Cape pigeons, and 

 other birds about. 



On the 15th, they passed many ice-islands. The 

 weather was thick, and snow fell at intervals ; the 

 wind continued from the westward. Many whales 

 were seen ; albatrosses, petrels, and Cape pigeons 

 were frequent about the ship. At 4 P.M. the mist 

 raised a little, and to their surprise they saw a 

 perfect barrier of ice, extending to the south-west, 

 with several large icebergs enclosed within it. 

 Shortly after they discovered a sail, which proved 

 to be the Porpoise. 



The Vincennes and Porpoise were left in our 

 narrative near the icy barrier, separated by the 

 fogs and mists that prevailed at times. The Por- 

 poise, on the 13th, in latitude 65 8' S., longitude 

 163 E., discovered several sea-elephants on the 

 ice, and sent a boat to capture them, but without 

 success. The current was tried, and found to set 

 west one-fifth of a mile per hour. Some time 

 afterwards, seeing some sea-elephants near the 

 edge of the ice, a boat was sent, and succeeded in 

 capturing a female. From the numerous sea-ele- 

 phants, and the discoloration of the water and ice, 

 they were strongly impressed with the idea of land 

 being in the vicinity, but on sounding with one 

 hundred fathoms, no bottom was found; Lieutenam- 

 Commandant Riuggold felt convinced, from the 

 above circumstances, and the report that penguins 

 were heard, that land was near, and thought he 

 could discern to the south-east something like dis- 

 tant mountains. A nearer approach was impossible, 

 as they were then in actual contact with the icy 

 barrier. 



