IX.

In January Frederick swam round the point[1] again, and mounted the cliff. He shot four pigs, ran[2] the fat into buckets, and threw the hams down to his brother on the beach below. He saw the four last goats, but spared[3] them to increase their number. In February a boat came to the west side from Tristan, and its crew killed the four goats, and departed without communicating with the Stoltenhoffs[4].

The relations between the Tristan people and the brothers does not appear to have been so cordial latterly as it was at first, and the Stoltenhoffs believe that[5] the intention of their neighbours in killing the goats, and in delaying from time to time to bring them some live stock, which they had promised them, was to force them to leave the island. It may have been so, for the Tristan men had been in the habit of making a yearly sealing expedition to Inaccessible Island, and no doubt the presence of the energetic strangers lessened their chance of success.

In March the brothers once more swam round the point, and ascended the cliff. After staying on the plateau together for a few days, it was settled that Frederick should remain above to procure (S. 58, N. 8) a stock of lard for the winter, Gustav returning to the hut and storing it[6]. When a pig was killed, the hide, with the fat in it, was rolled up, secured with thongs of skin, and thrown over the cliff, where Gustav then ran the lard into a cask.

[1] +Landspitze+, f.

[2] +laufen lassen.+

[3] +verschonen.+

[4] = without having seen the Stoltenhoffs.

[5] = that their neighbours killed the goats and delayed, etc., ... in order to force them, etc.

[6] +um es zuzubereiten.+

_Section 242._

A CURIOUS STORY.