down several hundred feet; they found the
corpse the next day, in a most miserably
mangled state. They interred it in the garden,
near their settlement; and placed at the
head of the grave a board, with his name and
age, together with an account of the accident
which caused his death ; and a pious remark
to the reader, that it happened on a <Sunday,
— a dreadful warning to Sabbath-breakers.
The people all say, they never more will
ascend the mountains on that sacred day;
indeed, from all I have seen of them, they pay
every respect to the duties of religion which
lies in their power.
31st. — This day have I experienced the
mortification of seeing a brig pass the island;
but the wind was blowing to that violent degree
as to preclude all hope of speaking to
her, though, for several days previously, the
weather had been remarkably calm. I seem
to be doomed to disappointment.
June 6th. — Very unsettled weather, gales
blowing for some hours, and then becoming
calm and mild. This is now the middle of
winter, the winds are changeable and boisterous.
I saw to-day, for the first time, what
the settlers call a pod of sea elephants. At
this particular season these animals lay strewed
about the beach, and, unless you disturb them,
the sight of a man will not frighten them
away. I was determined to get a good portrait
of some of them, and accordingly took
my sketch-book and pencil, and seated myself
very near to one of them, and began my
operations, feeling sure I had now got a
most patient sitter, for they will lie for weeks
together without stirring ; but I had to keep
throwing small pebbles at him, in order to
make him open his eyes, and prevent his going
to sleep. The flies appear to torment these
unwieldy monsters cruelly, their eyes and
nostrils being stuffed full of them. I got a
good sketch of the group. They appeared to
stare at me occasionally with some little astonishment,
stretching up their immense heads
and looking around; but finding all still, (I suppose
they considered me a mere rock,) they
composed themselves to sleep again. They
are the most shapeless creatures about the
body. I could not help comparing them to an