VII.

In the month of April 1872, a singular misfortune befell them. While burning some of the brushwood below to make a clearing, the tussock-grass in the gully[1], by which they had been in the habit[2] of ascending the cliff, caught fire, and as it had been only by its assistance that they had been able to scramble up to the plateau, their only hunting-ground was now inaccessible from the strip of beach on which their hut and garden stood, which was closed in on either side by a headland jutting into the sea. While their half-boat remained seaworthy, they were able to paddle round in fine weather to the west side of the island, where there was an access to the top; but the “sea-cart,” as they called it, was washed off the beach and broken up in June, and after that the only way they had of reaching the plateau was by swimming round the headland—a risky feat, even in the finest weather, in these wild regions.

In winter it was found to be impossible to reach the terrace, and as their supply of food was low, they experienced considerable privations during their first winter. Their daily allowance of food was reduced to a quantity just sufficient to maintain life, and in August they were little better than skeletons[3].

Help was, however, near. Early in August a multitude of penguins landed[4] hard by their hut,—stupid[5] animals, which will scarcely get out of one’s way, and are easily knocked down with a stick[6], and with fleshy breasts, wholesome enough, though with a rather fishy taste; and in the end of August the females began to lay large blue eggs, sufficiently delicate in flavour.

[1] +Vertiefung+, f.

[2] I was in the habit of ascending the mountain every day, +ich pflegte täglich den Berg zu ersteigen+.

[3] = +und im August waren sie fast zu Skeletten geworden.+

[4] = settled, +sich niederlassen+.

[5] Begin a new period here and say: ‘These are stupid animals’, etc.

[6] and — stick, +sich leicht mit einem Stock niederschlagen lassen+; and with — taste = and have a fleshy breast, which (supply +zwar+ here) yields (+bieten+) a wholesome food, but (+jedoch+) possesses a rather (+etwas+) fishy taste.—The whole period is difficult to translate into good German; the author considers it therefore necessary to assist the student.

_Section 240._

A CURIOUS STORY.