150 AUDUBON THE NATURALIST. 
remain still. But instantly the reports of nus 
kets loaded with heavy shot are heard, and the 
dead and wounded fall in numbers to the earth. 
Collecting their prey, they then return to their 
vessels, to celebrate with drunken orgies their 
brutal triumph. Stripping off their beautiful 
feathered apparel, while the flesh of their vic- 
tims is yet warm, they throw them on the coals. 
Then filling repeatedly their rum flasks, with 
shouting and revelry the night is far spent, till 
at length tumbling and snoring, the crazy crew 
fall into uneasy slumbers. With the return of 
morning they are again on the alert, when the 
sun shines brightly on the snow-clad mountains, 
and fresh breezes shake the heavy dew-drops 
from the boughs. 
Startled by the pure eye of day upon them, 
the Eggers arise, and make for some other spot 
sheltered as before, where, undisturbed, they 
may betake themselves again to their ferocious 
employment. Thus passing their days in cruelty, 
and their nights in revelry, the marauders spend 
weeks in these occupations. Touching in suc- 
cession at every island along the coast, propi- 
tious to their guilty purposes, ample gatherings 
are made by them to satisfy their sordid minds, 
Sometimes, enraged at competition in their de 
graded traffic by a band of desperadoes like 
themselves, a challenge is given, musketry is dig 
