362 WHOLESALE SLAUGHTER. 



Suddenly two black points became visible on the hori- 

 zon ; these were a couple of great eagles flying at full 

 speed in our direction. The instinct of preservation 

 revealed their advent to the whole of the feathered re- 

 public ; the mothers beat the air with frenzied wings, and 

 the fathers opened their pointed beaks a terrible weapon 

 when it strikes a foe. 



All was useless : seizing a favourable moment, the two 

 birds of prey pounced each upon a young heron, clutching 

 it in their formidable talons ; then, regardless of the 

 clamours of the Nestors of that winged host, they darted 

 out of range, and disappeared from our gaze. 



This scene had passed with the rapidity of lightning. 

 My friends and I would fain have brought down both of 

 these feathered assassins ; but, alas ! they were far away, 

 and lest we should further terrify the birds of this mira- 

 culous cliff, we thought it best to reserve our fire. It 

 was well we did so, for, gliding gently along the rock, we 

 got within a short distance of the herons, and all three 

 simultaneously discharging our six barrels at them, we 

 had the pleasure of bringing down eleven enormous birds ; 

 while those who survived this unexpected discharge took 

 flight, and disappeared in the air, even abandoning so 

 great was their alarm the nests containing their young 

 nurslings. 



The gulls alone seemed to despise the danger ; and the 

 penguins, scattered in their midst, hovered upon the 

 waves, without venturing to too great a distance from the 

 shore. 



Continuing our excursion around the rock, we soon 

 arrived in sight of the camp, whose huts, which we had 



