EXPEDITION TO FUNK ISLAND. 509 



Bo little coald be ascertained regarding the soil of Funk Island, that 

 we came provided eveu with a pickaxe, while we were told that we 

 might be compelled to dig through several feet of turf in order to reach 

 the bones of the Grarefowl. The most thoroughly useful tools proved 

 to be two clam hoes, with which rapid progress could be made through 

 the matted roots and scanty soil. 



Peter Stuvitz, who visited Funk Island in 1844, wrote that — 



Ou the sorttliwesteru side a little vegetatiou is fouud and sufficient soil to support 

 an extremely scanty flora; but it is there tliat I discovered remains of bones in great 

 number, and itjis probable that the thiu layer of vegetable mould which is met with- 

 in that locality is due to the destruction of the animals to which they belonged. 



The skeletons lie in a compact mass in the earth, and according to the depth at 

 which they are foaud one can estimate the time necessary for the formation of the 

 layer of mold above them. Moreover, this layer of earth was usually very thin, 

 a.nd iu places the bones were not covered at all. 



During the last forty or fifty years the thickness of the layer of earth formed is 

 consequently not appreciable, for a slaughter of these birds sufficiently extensive for 

 the accumulation of such heaps of bones must antedate that epoch. 



Ou this side are found the stone iuclosures called pounds, in which the hunters con 

 cealed tiiemselves to slay the birds.* 



This description is very accurate and is as true to-day as when it was: 

 written, except that the layer of soil is thicker, and vegetation more 

 abundant. Two of the pounds near the western landing place, whos( 

 position is indicated on the accompanying map, still remain untouched 

 and although the stones lie prostrate, not one is wanting. Remains oi 

 other pounds, more or less overgrown by weeds, are to be seen here and 

 there along the central ridge of the island, and hard by the ruins of th( 

 hut recently mentioned are the traces of two other small structures partlj 

 hidden by the vegetation. 



(Joiiceriiing these there seems to be no tradition, but it is not at al 

 improbable that they were the dwellings of the old-time destroyers o1 

 the Auk, for there is no reason why parties should not have passed th( 

 entire breeding season on the island in order to prosecute their wort 

 without interruption, and Cartwright says that this was done. 



By placing the huts along the crest of the island they would be fre( 

 from surface drainage during rains, while the " compounds " would nat 

 urally be located near the huts for convenience, and away from tlj( 

 water to avoid unnecessary fright to the landing birds. 



The most abundant deposits of bones are found in the vicinity of tht 

 ruined hut, partially in the upper stratum of soil, where the bones ol 

 thousands of birds are mixed together in inextricable confusion. 



In the upper layer of soil, too, lie the patches of charcoal and charred 

 fragments of bones, showing where the kettles once swung in which 

 the birds were parboiled to render plucking them an easy operation. 



Tradition says that the bodies of the Great Auks were so fat that 



* This is undoubtedly an error, for all other accounts agree in stating that the 

 pounds were used for confining the birds uutil thej^ should be needed. 



