nests covered with down plucked by the female from her 
breast, that is, and placed on the naked rock, very often. Male 
birds were rare. 
Four guns brought down thirty-six eiders, thirty ring 
geese, three terns, as many burgomeisters, and five robber 
gulls in a few hours. The robber gulls we killed at every 
chance, these feeding on eggs and even upon the young of 
others. 
Having arranged to celebrate the Fourth with the Well¬ 
man party, while at dinner the night before leaving Tromsoe, 
we proceeded toward Virgo Haven now, with pleasurable an¬ 
ticipations. 
The entrance to the sheltered harbor is through Dane’s 
WELLMAN’S HEADQUARTERS 
Gate, and is concealed almost from view by a semi-circle of 
ice-covered mountains. 
The point of Dane’s Island, in Virgo Bay here, where 
the Wellman Record-Herald Expedition has established its 
station, is likewise the site of the ill-fated Andre Expedi¬ 
tion, the ruins of the Andre balloon-house being but a short 
distance in from the shore. 
On Independence Day, sure enough, we lifted our hats 
to Old Glory, waving both above our boat and the houses 
of the expedition, which last were in fair way of construction. 
Mr. Wellman not being present, (though expected in a 
very few days), and neither fireworks nor fire-crackers be¬ 
ing at hand, Major Hersey, U. S. A., second in command of 
[46] 
