44 
On the newly discovered 
When some distance off shore, our olfactory nerves 
had been most offensively assailed by certain effluvia from 
the land, the cause of which we could not then define ; 
but, on mounting the icy cliffs, it became apparent that it 
proceeded from numerous carcases of young penguins, 
which lay in a state of putrefaction all around, together 
with an immense accumulation of birds’ dung, probably 
some feet, or even yards, in depth,—the ground, in some 
parts, bending under foot in the manner of a crusted bog. 
No description of mine can give an adequate idea of 
' the spectacle which awaited us here; the whole surface 
of the island being one mass of living creatures ( Ap - 
tenodytes ). Old and young were squatted on the ground 
in numerous groups, and so thickly packed, that it was 
almost impossible to move a foot without treading on 
them. These birds are possessed of considerable courage, 
and were furious in their attacks on all who approached. 
They commenced their resistance by fully extending their 
bills, and screaming most discordantly, running at our 
legs, pecking sharply with their short stout bills, and at 
the same time striking right and left with their wings, 
by far the most formidable of their weapons. A feat was 
witnessed by several of the officers and crew of the 
Terror , which shows, in a remarkable degree, the force 
with which the bird can use its flipper-like wings. 
Several albatrosses and penguins had been brought on 
board, and a few of the former lay dead on the deck, 
when a bold-looking penguin was thrown on board. For 
a few minutes it looked wildly about, throwing its head 
and eyes obliquely around, on this side and on that, till 
at length, as if it had discovered an enemy, it made a 
rush in the direction of the albatrosses, and struck the 
nearest a blow on the head with such force as to upset 
itself, and injure the other so seriously that it died a few 
minutes after. 
