k round, and judge
of the size of our island. I should like to go all round it before I
return to the boats--so come along."

The whole party ascended the highest peak on the island, from which a
view was obtained all round. The island was very small, and appeared
alone. It was evidently a volcanic production, and might possibly be of
no great age. In many places the birds had congregated in such numbers
that they had covered the ground with manure, the thin soil thus
produced was merely waiting for some seeds to be brought there by
strong-winged birds which had swallowed them in distant regions, and
would then drop them in his locality, where, taking root, they would
produce the first vegetation.

After scanning the horizon with his telescope, the naval officer
examined the shore, which was visible from this peak nearly all round
the island. Scarcely had he directed it to one part of the shore nearly
on the opposite side of the island to that on which he had landed, than
giving the telescope to Hans, he told him to look at the shore and say
what he saw. Hans, taking the telescope, directed it at the spot
indicated, and immediately exclaimed, "There is _wilde_ (game) there.
What are they?"

"They are sea-lions," said the lieutenant, "and we can eat them, and can
make tents out of their skins. There are scores of them, and we must
manage to shoot them."

"Are they very shy?" inquired Hans.

"I think not. They don't know much about men on these islands, I
expect, but still we had better stalk them."

"Yes, that must be done, and let no one shoot who is not certain where
his bullet will go to at a hundred yards."

"Now shooting these creatures is more in your line than mine, as you are
an elephant hunter," said the lieutenant; "so you just arrange the
matter, and tell me what to do, and I'll direct the men."

"I don't know any thing of the animal," said Hans, "and each animal
ought to be hunted differently, so I cannot give safe advice; but I
think we must approach them along shore, for if we go down this way they
will smell us."

"That's a thing I should not have thought of, unless you had told me,"
replied the lieutenant. "Of course if we go to them from windward they
will smell us. Very well; we'll go along shore, and what then?"

"We can stalk them then, and I think at eighty yards we ought to be able
to kill them at a single shot. Perhaps, too, these creatures don't know
what the report of a gu