190 FROM EDINBURGH TO THE ANTARCTIC 
have got so much into the way of finding all their wants 
supplied at the Company's stores that they do little to 
supply themselves. I met one man who was making an 
effort to live independently, and I believe with a certain 
amount of success. As an instance of the unthriftiness 
of the people in this way, this man could sell a plucked 
goose for is. 6d., and a goose with its feathers on for is. ; 
with the feathers he could fill a mattress in a week and 
sell it for £i or more. Almost all the people's supplies 
are bought from the Company. They have nothing but 
tin milk and imported butter as far as I could see, when 
there is no reason against their having their own cows but 
that the land immediately round the township is the Com- 
pany's land ; at least this was the reason given me by the 
people I met. 
By evening we had quite a collection of strange birds. 
As I had some small shot the smaller skins were quite 
suited for preserving. It was late when we returned to 
Stanley, and the lights in the cottages were all out ; 
only in two or three of the taverns were there signs 
of life. In one of these I found five of the young 
fellows of our crew getting very festive, and with some 
difficulty managed to get them off to the ship, while the 
doctor went on to call at the Rev. Mr. H- % As we 
pulled across the loch in the moonlight it was agreed 
not to talk or make a row as we came alongside the 
ship, so as not to disturb the sleepers on board ; but 
the first thing our jolly tars did was to run full tilt into 
the Balsena's counter. ' Bow' hit 'Two' on the head with 
the butt of his oar; 'Two' swore; ' Three' told him to 
