 simple in her arrangements, erecting a hillock about a foot high and two in
diameter. This is made of earth, sea-weed, and shells. On its summit she builds
her nest.
    The birds take especial care never to leave their nests unoccupied for an
instant during the period of incubation, or, indeed, until the young progeny are
sufficiently strong to take care of themselves. While the male is absent at sea
in search of food, the female remains on duty, and it is only upon the return of
her partner that she ventures abroad. The eggs are never left uncovered at all -
while one bird leaves the nest the other nestling in by its side. This
precaution is rendered necessary by the thievish propensities prevalent in the
rookery, the inhabitants making no scruple to purloin each other's eggs at every
good opportunity.
    Although there are some rookeries in which the penguin and albatross are the
sole population, yet in most of them a variety of oceanic birds are to be met
with, enjoying all the privileges of citizenship, and scattering their nests
here and there, wherever they can find room, never interfering, however, with
the stations of the larger species. The appearance of such encampments, when
seen from a distance, is exceedingly singular. The whole atmosphere just above
the settlement is darkened with the immense number of the albatross (mingled
with the smaller tribes) which are continually hovering over it, either going to
the ocean or returning home. At the same time a crowd of penguins are to be
observed, some passing to and fro in the narrow alleys, and some marching with
the military strut so peculiar to them, around the general promenade-ground
which encircles the rookery. In short, survey it as we will, nothing can be more
astonishing than the spirit of reflection evinced by these feathered beings, and
nothing surely can be better calculated to elicit reflection in every
well-regulated human intellect.
    On the morning after our arrival in Christmas Harbor the chief mate, Mr.
Patterson, took the boats, and (although it was somewhat early in the season)
went in search of seal, leaving the captain and a young relation of his on a
point of barren land to the westward, they having some business, whose nature I
could not ascertain, to transact in the interior of the island. Captain Guy took
with him a bottle, in which was a sealed letter, and made his way from the point
on which he was set on shore toward one of the highest peaks in the place. It is
probable that his design was to leave the letter
