I9I2] SAD HISTORY OF THE SKUAS 271 
and couldn't move for a time.' It was, however, a distinct 
anticlimax when we got to the top of the cape to see that 
we had been misled by some queer shadows, that there 
was firm ice for at least seven miles and no sign of water 
anywhere ! However, our experience at New Harbour 
made both Debenham and myself realise the risk we were 
running if the break-up of the ice — now long overdue 
■ — had eventuated. 
^ Monday, January 15, 1912 ; the day on which we 
were to be relieved. Nary a relief — nor any sign of it, 
and skuas squawking round us ! 
' We surveyed our cape expecting to find lots of pools 
of water, but there is none anywhere. Everything is 
covered with snow except the big boulders and three 
patches of gravel — of which we have annexed the largest.' 
When we arrived each was inhabited by a pair of skua gulls — 
which we may call White, Black, and Gray. The Whites had 
one egg, the Blacks a young chick, and the Grays two eggs. 
The history of these families was pathetic in the extreme. 
We dispossessed the Blacks, and I put young Blackie in 
a new nest — ^just as well made as his own — which I scraped 
out a little distance away. The parents fled squawking 
and left the chicken cruising about on strong stumpy legs 
with the head low like an apteryx. All night long it 
yelled for food, so next day I transferred it to the Whites' 
nest near the warm egg. Meanwhile Debenham set up the 
blubber stove on a rock ledge nearby, to get to which he 
crossed the Grays' nest rather frequently. They resented 
this, but sensibly made the best of a bad job and ate up 
their eggs. 
