he islands, where we anchored on a good
ground. The first mate being sent ashore to look for water, several of
our gentlemen accompanied him. They returned in the evening with the
disappointing intelligence that they had not been able to find fresh
water. They brought us, to compensate for this, a number of wild geese
and two seals.

The weather appearing to threaten, we weighed anchor and put out to sea.
The night was tempestuous, and in the morning of the 5th we had lost
sight of the first islands. The wind blowing off land, it was necessary
to beat up all that day; in the evening we found ourselves sufficiently
near the shore, and hove to for the night. The 6th brought us a clear
sky, and with a fresh breeze we succeeded in gaining a good anchorage,
which we took to be Port Egmont, and where we found good water.

On the 7th, we sent ashore the water casks, as well as the cooper to
superintend filling them, and the blacksmiths who were occupied in some
repairs required by the ship. For our part, having erected a tent near
the springs, we passed the time while they were taking in water, in
coursing over the isles: we had a boat for our accommodation, and killed
every day a great many wild geese and ducks. These birds differ in
plumage from those which are seen in Canada. We also killed a great
many seals. These animals ordinarily keep upon the rocks. We also saw
several foxes of the species called _Virginia_ fox: they were shy and
yet fierce, barking like dogs and then flying precipitately. Penguins
are also numerous on the Falkland Isles. These birds have a fine
plumage, and resemble the loon: but they do not fly, having only little
stumps of wings which they use to help themselves in waddling along. The
rocks were covered with them. It being their sitting season we found
them on their nests, from which they would not stir. They are not wild
or timid: far from flying at our approach, they attacked us with their
bill, which is very sharp, and with their short wings. The flesh of the
penguin is black and leathery, with a strong fishy taste, and one must
be very hungry to make up one's mind to eat it. We got a great quantity
of eggs by dislodging them from their nests.

As the French and English had both attempted to form establishments on
these rocks, we endeavored to find some vestige of them; the tracks
which we met everywhere made us hope to find goats also: but all our
researches were vain: all that we discovered