y
hauled up close to the beach and everybody scrambled on shore. Even
Mrs Major Negus was so delighted to stand once more on _terra firma_
that she did not mind getting her feet wet for once, and was almost one
of the first to jump off the raft.

"Thank God!" exclaimed Mr Meldrum as he stood up in the centre of the
group, taking off his hat reverently in acknowledgment of the divine
mercy of that watchful providence which had guided them safely through
all the perils of the deep and now permitted them to land without harm--
the untaught seamen around him appearing to sympathise with his
heartfelt thanksgiving as they, too, bowed their heads in silence; while
Kate fell upon her knees also in an ecstasy of gratitude to Him who
ruled the wind and waves and had protected them to the last!

Then, all began to look about them. However, as they surveyed the
strange scene, they found to their surprise that they were not the only
inhabitants of "Desolation Island," as Captain Cook so aptly named, when
he first saw the place, the land which had been previously discovered by
Monsieur de Kerguelen.

From the beach, the land rose up on both sides of the fiord in a gentle
slope to the hills above, which latter were broken away in some places,
forming flat level tables of basaltic debris that had tumbled from the
tops of the cliffs; and, these stretches of table-land being under the
lee of the hills, were sheltered from the snow that otherwise covered
every place in sight, valley and mountain peak alike.

On these tables of bare black ground, numerous colonies of penguins had
established themselves--the tenants already in possession of the island,
to prove that it was not altogether deserted.

The birds were standing about in crowds in the queerest and most
ungainly attitudes in the world, croaking and barking, according to
their usual wont, at the unexpected visitors who had so unceremoniously
come to disturb the quietude of their island home. They looked
excessively funny, waddling about awkwardly on their short legs and
flapping their wings as if grumbling at the intrusion, much resembling a
lot of little dumpy old women with grey tippets on; and Maurice Negus
and Florry Meldrum went into fits of laughter at their appearance.

The penguins were not very busy at that time of year evidently.

They were simply idling about the beach and "loafing," as if they had
nothing particular to do but gossip with each other as to what