304 



MERCURY ISLAND. 



[1828 



and steered a southerly course for Mercury Island, touching at Bird 

 Island on the way, from which we took a few fur-seal skins. We 

 continued plying to the southward, with the wind from south-south- 

 west during the day, and south-south-east during the night, until we 

 arrived at Mercury Island, on Monday, the 22d. Here we commenced 

 taking seal, and although the landing was very bad, I adhered to my 

 usual custom of leading the gang ; a custom which every ship-master 

 should adopt who is engaged in this business, as it never fails to pro- 

 mote the interest of all parties. 



In scaling the rocks and precipices of an unsheltered shore, to attack 

 a large body of these ferocious amphibia, some hazard is necessarily 

 incurred, and some courage consequently required ; and I have always 

 found a vast difference in the result, whether I sent my men ahead 

 with the words " Go on, men ! Go on !" or led the van myself, with 

 the more animating exclamation of " Come on, my lads ! Come on !" 

 The latter language seems to kindle the fire of enthusiasm in every 

 bosom ; to inspire them with new courage, and to endue them with 

 redoubled vigour. They rush forward reckless of danger, placing the 

 fullest confidence in the experience and cool intrepidity of their enter- 

 prising leader. 



December 2<ith. — On Wednesday, the 24th, I landed with a party of 

 twenty-three picked men, with the intention of taking a large body of 

 fur-seal, which were assembled on the west side of the island. The 

 sea was tolerably smooth, and the men in fine spirits, with the pros- 

 pect before them of surprising and destroying an unsuspecting army, 

 which would yield them such valuable spoils. 



Our schooner lay at anchor on the east side of the island, in four 

 fathoms of water, about two cables' length from the shore. While 

 manning the boats and pulling for the shore, the men were made ac- 

 quainted with my intended plan of attack, and received their orders 

 accordingly. I have already intimated that there is no spot on any 

 side of this little island where a landing can be effected with ease and 

 facility. But to minds resolved no difficulties appear too formidable 

 to be surmounted. 



As our boat left the vessel's side, several of the men were guessing, 

 and proposing trifling bets, on the probable number of seal which were 

 to yield us their jackets on this occasion ; at the same time dropping 

 some jocose remarks on the confusion which our unexpected appear- 

 ance would cause among the amphibious members of the defenceless 

 community whose social arrangements and domestic enjoyments we 

 were about to annihilate. 



" Poor fellows !" exclaimed young Ogden, arousing from a brief fit 

 of musing abstraction ; " what ties of affection are soon to be severed 

 for ever! — whole families nearly cut to pieces, and the survivors 

 plunged in misery ! Those that escape will find to-morrow a melan- 

 choly Christmas." 



" Ours will be the more merry for our success," replied his friend 

 Oscar Studivan. " Besides, it will teach these gentry a useful lesson 

 on extravagance in dress. If they wore hair instead of fur, as some 



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