New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-22

water. The suns rays sloped over the snowy
top Of the berg and fell on the white foe and the
splashes OF scarlet. and drew golden lines round
the dark forms Of the men. A marvellously
beautiful picture. with just enough OF human in
terest and dramatic suspense to enforce the
beauty Of the colOring.
1t was an easy thing to fill the ship with
sea.skins. But 1t seemed like downright muir
der. The creatures had apparently never seen
man or gun before ard they merely waited to
he slaughtered. So merciless the business
that 1t presaged the complete destruction Of the
animals within a very short time after ships
began to frequent the Antarctic Coast. There
was no excitement about sealing except the hard
work and the occasional danger of a plunge into
a sea OF unknown depth and freezing tempera-
ture. On the way &c the sealing station and
back. many an albatross was captured with none
of the untoward subsequent incidents such as
afflicted Coieridge's ancient Mariner" Among
all the creatures that were found. the which
evoked real interest was the penguin. In all
varieties this strange bird was the cause Of end
less amusement. To II hop upon ice foe
and tumble backward when it failed to rise TO
the proper height forced a smile on the most
melancholy face in the ships company. But the
larger birds OF the kind not to be despised
In combat at close quarters. and their hold on
life was amazing. Mr.. Burn Murdoch thus de-
scribes the capture Of living specimen:
We caught emperor penguin this evening
was on deck enjoying the beauty of the white
night. when We saw II. just as | was going 10
turn in. | spotted him piece Of snow within
two or three hundred yards. | was anxious TO
make a drawing from an emperor penguin, so
went aft and let the mate know, and he ordered
away boat. The penguin was standing in the
middle of a round pan of snow ice about hfty
yards in diameter. with hummock on enc side
We rowed up to this and put two men behind
the hummock and then rowed round TO the
other SIDE where three OF us landed and spread
out. Then all five advanced. closing in with
the penguin as the centre OF our circle. lie got
upon a. mound of snow approached, and
only looked slightly anxious as We drew In then
evidently thinking that his position was danger
Gus. he tried to get away. He slid down the
mound Of snow on his breast. pudding away
with his fippers and feet. one of our party
made successful rush over hard piece of
snow in pursuit. and fell On the bird and en-
braced it. and the penguin looked quite shocked
and threw him off with a sort OF hitch or It's
shoulders; then 1t got up and stood on It's feet
again and looked at us calmly as we struggled
after it through the soft snow. When we got
near Ii again. five of us made a rush at II. ana
the bo'sun got in first and scragged II with both
hands round the neck The two rolled over To-
gether on the snow. and the penguin freed its
neck and began to let drive with its beak at the
bosun's head. but missed fortunately. 1t mad
no chance however: fell on it altogether and
made II have down" Its strength astonshed
US One man held It's neck another two got hold
Of a iipper apiece. and two held the legs. Win
all our strength we could scarcely keep hold OF
it: and yet IL did not seem to be in the least
Hurried or put out-merely moved Its iiippers
slowly. and drew up and extended its short legs
but that nearly twisted our arms off II was too
difficult to carry TO the boat this way. so we
strapped him around the middle with his hippers
down by his side. We used the bo'sun's belt
a broad affair with a big brass buckle. ana
hauled till the penguin collapsed IKE oIad-
stone bag Then we made another belt fast round
his short legs. and stood up and drew breath
of relief-and did the pengun-a long sign
from the bottom Of it's chest. and the buckle
burst and IL got up and hobbed away with the
belt still round its legs. Then We all sat on him
again without any ceremony. for We wer" angry
the penguin remained calmly Ggnii"d-and
fastened him w with some fathoms or whale
line that happened to be in the boat, dashed him
from his bill 10 his toes all the way down with
MARINE bitches. Ike roll OF beef. ard carried
him to the boat and dropped him IN Inc me
chest. on deck the men stood round him ana
n1arvelled at his strange bulky FORM hut he ala
not take tie least notice. and there was far
away-look In his little black eye. as If he saw
right back to the days when these white shores
were clad with the verdure OF the tropics ana
there were no glaciers on the black rocks
In spite OF difficulties much scientific work
was done Above all IT found that the con-
ditions were favorable for such work. The coast
rim Of Antarctica Is accessible and IT would
be easy for an exploring party to make observa-
lions during twelve months. The whale question
remains unsettled but nobody on shippoard
doubted but that Sir James Ross was rSht Inc
volume is profusey illustrated from sketches by
Mr. Burn Murdoch and there are also several maps
showing the movements Of the expedition. Inc
authors Of the book both urge new eNpediuoh'
to be under the auspices of the British Govern
ment. Meanwhile the Norwegians have begun
serious investigation with the little steamer An
tarctica. along the coast Of Victoria Land