ones, which are valuable on account of their
feathers, my companions made dreadful havoc
amongst, knocking on the head all they could
come up with. These birds are very helpless
on the land, the great length of their wings
precluding them from rising up into the ah,
unless they can get to a steep declivity. On
the level ground they were completely at our
mercy, but very little was shown them, and
in a very short space of time, the plain was
strewn with their bodies, one blow on the
head generally killing them instantly.
The object of my comrades for taking this
dangerous and fatiguing journey was neither
to procure the feathers of the albatross, nor to
admire the sublime scenery. Goats, of which
there are thousands on these plains, were the
ostensible cause of their coming ; and a very
fine dog was with us for the purpose of run-
ning them down. We soon surprised a flock,
which made (as they invariably do) for the
peak ; but our dog soon separated one, which
we caught, killed, and left on the plain, while
the dog ran after others. A very large black
he goat was-selected, which gave him battle,
and defended himself courageously for some
time against us a ll; but we finally conquered
him, and added his body to our other prize.
My two companions were now quite delighted
with their success; and though they had to
carry these heavy carcases for a considerable
way over the plains, not a murmur was heard
from either : when they had got them to the
edge of the precipice, we took out their insides,
and stuffed them with fern, then tumbled
them down, and they reached the bottom
without much difficulty; occasionally they
rested a moment on some projection, but the
weight finally cleared the bushes and rocks,
and the bodies were found by us on reaching
the level.
After spending a most fatiguing and exciting
day, we got safely down at night; the
men perfectly satisfied with their goats and
albatross’ feathers, and I equally so with the
number of my sketches.
They informed me, that the very last time
they had ascended the mountain, on their
return, one of the party got too close to the
precipice, without being aware of it, and fell