, Rotorua, kauri pine, and the moon they've got in
Auckland--we've heard of all these and marvelled at them. "Kapai te
Maori!"

Blake and Hamilton went to Sandy Bay in the dinghy on the 6th in order
to complete some work. They improved the hut there, to the extent of
making a fire-place and laying barrel-staves on the floor, afterwards
bringing a boat-load of timber from the 'Jessie Nichol' wreck and
rigging up a board bunk sufficiently large to accommodate both of them.

While walking down to the 'Clyde' wreck for some wood on the 7th I saw
a strange bird on the beach, and, returning to the Shack for the gun,
I got him at the second shot. He was a land bird and had evidently been
blown out of his course, as none of his kind had been seen before on the
island.

On getting up on the following morning I found poor old Ma lying dead,
and the feathers which lay about indicated that she had been the victim
of a savage assault, but whether at the teeth of a dog or the beak of a
skua I was unable to determine. This was most unfortunate, as the hens
had all started to lay again two days previously; but apart from this
she was a funny old creature and one could almost hold a conversation
with her, so we regretted her loss. However, to make amends for this
disaster the Victoria penguins started to lay on the same day, and as
several of their rookeries were only a few minutes' walk from the Shack,
the position was much the same as if we owned a poultry farm.

Hamilton returned from Sandy Bay on the 17th and immediately set about
collecting shags' eggs. He visited Aerial Cove for the purpose but did
not get enough, and was compelled to go to West Point, where he gathered
twenty-four dozen for specimens. He now had a collection of eggs of all
birds which nest on the island, with the exception of the weka and the
tern.

At 6.30 P.M. on November 22 the 'Aurora' steamed into North-East Bay
and dropped anchor. Hamilton, Blake and Sawyer launched the dinghy
and pulled out to receive the mails, which they brought ashore for
distribution. All on board were well and Captain Davis sent word to
say he would land in the morning, bringing our goods and some
visitors--Professor Flynn of Hobart and Mr. Denny.

The 'Aurora' next day steamed round North Head and took a series of
soundings between the main island and the Judge and Clerk. These latter
islets lie about eight miles to the north of North Head, and are merely
rocks about eighty fe