FROM EDINBURGH TO THE ANTARCTIC 205 
great fun catching them. First of all I caught about 
a dozen with a cast of loch flies baited with fat ; but this 
was rather slow work, so one of the crew rigged a thing 
resembling a landing-net on the end of a boat-hook. A 
second man threw in scraps of food at the bow. The 
pigeons came tumbling over each other for the food as it 
passed alongside, and he with the net bailed them on 
board. All hands had quite a gay time at this in the 
dog watch. Every one had a try at it, it looked so easy 
to catch some of the scores of birds that came down ; but 
they were cautious though they were eager, and the long 
pole was difficult to handle with accuracy. 
Just before dark we could make out another berg down 
to leeward. As the barometer was going down we were 
anxious to get to the south of the Shetlands, which 
islands ought to be to the westward of us now, in case 
of a gale from the south-west. 
. . . There is a fresh wind, cold and damp, with a swell 
running from the westward. The sky looks threatening — 
