almost inconceivable fury, it
was unaccompanied by either snow or rain. Its effect upon the burning
curtain that covered the aperture of the central hall was very
remarkable. So far from there being any likelihood of the fire being
extinguished by the vehemence of the current of air, the hurricane
seemed rather to act as a ventilator, which fanned the flame into
greater activity, and the utmost care was necessary to avoid being burnt
by the fragments of lava that were drifted into the interior of the
grotto. More than once the curtain itself was rifted entirely asunder,
but only to close up again immediately after allowing a momentary
draught of cold air to penetrate the hall in a way that was refreshing
and rather advantageous than otherwise.

On the 4th of April, after an absence of about four days, the new
satellite, to Ben Zoof's great satisfaction, made its reappearance in
a crescent form, a circumstance that seemed to justify the anticipation
that henceforward it would continue to make a periodic revolution every
fortnight.

The crust of ice and snow was far too stout for the beaks of the
strongest birds to penetrate, and accordingly large swarms had left the
island, and, following the human population, had taken refuge on the
volcanic promontory; not that there the barren shore had anything in the
way of nourishment to offer them, but their instinct impelled them to
haunt now the very habitations which formerly they would have shunned.
Scraps of food were thrown to them from the galleries; these were
speedily devoured, but were altogether inadequate in quantity to meet
the demand. At length, emboldened by hunger, several hundred birds
ventured through the tunnel, and took up their quarters actually in
Nina's Hive. Congregating in the large hall, the half-famished creatures
did not hesitate to snatch bread, meat, or food of any description from
the hands of the residents as they sat at table, and soon became such an
intolerable nuisance that it formed one of the daily diversions to hunt
them down; but although they were vigorously attacked by stones and
sticks, and even occasionally by shot, it was with some difficulty that
their number could be sensibly reduced.

By a systematic course of warfare the bulk of the birds were all
expelled, with the exception of about a hundred, which began to build in
the crevices of the rocks. These were left in quiet possession of their
quarters, as not only was it deemed advis