f second in command, and the Commodore's pendant, much to
the annoyance of the captains commanding the other vessels,--but in
this the Admiral proved his judgment, as there was no one of them so
fit for the task as Philip. Having so done, he dismissed them. Philip
would have spoken to the late Commodore, but the sentry opposed it,
as against his orders; and with a friendly nod, Philip was obliged to
leave him without the desired communication.

The fleet remained three weeks at the Falkland Islands, to recruit the
ships' companies. Although there was no fresh beef, there was plenty
of scurvy-grass and penguins. These birds were in myriads on some
parts of the island, which, from the propinquity of their nests, built
of mud, went by the name of _towns_. There they sat, close together
(the whole area which they covered being bare of grass), hatching
their eggs and rearing their young. The men had but to select as many
eggs and birds as they pleased, and so numerous were they, that, when
they had supplied themselves, there was no apparent diminution of the
numbers. This food, although in a short time not very palatable to the
seamen, had the effect of restoring them to health, and, before the
fleet sailed, there was not a man who was afflicted with the scurvy.
In the meantime the Commodore remained in irons, and many were the
conjectures concerning his ultimate fate. The power of life and death
was known to be in the Admiral's hands, but no one thought that such
power would be exerted upon a delinquent of so high a grade. The other
captains kept aloof from Philip, and he knew little of what was the
general idea. Occasionally when on board of the Admiral's ship, he
ventured to bring up the question, but was immediately silenced; and
feeling that he might injure the late Commodore (for whom he had a
regard), he would risk nothing by importunity; and the fleet sailed
for the Straits of Magellan, without anybody being aware of what might
be the result of the court-martial.

It was about a fortnight after they had left the Falkland Islands,
that they entered the Straits. At first they had a leading wind which
carried them half through, but this did not last, and they then had to
contend not only against the wind, but against the current, and they
daily lost ground. The crews of the ships also began to sicken from
fatigue and cold. Whether the Admiral had before made up his mind, or
whether, irritated by his fruitless endeavour