The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-09-17

remained only two or three dozen
of the candles manufactured by
the French caStaway. Most Of the
oil in the barrels from the Slough
had been used.
Moko had obtained and kept a
fairly large quantity of grease in
cooking game and other animals.
But everyday use of it for lighting
would rapidly exhaust the limited
amount. Gordon hoped to replace
that grease by a substitute which
nature would provide practically
ready to use. Lacking vegetable
oil, he hoped to find regular store,
almost unlimited, of animal oil.
Dwindling Supplies
This could be done if the hunt
erS could kill enough of the seals
that basked on the reefs OF Slough
Bay. There was need to hurry,
since the seals soon would migrate
to more southern parts of the
Antarctic Ocean.
Service and Garnett had enjoyed
great success in tanning and train
ing the guanacoes to draw their
cart. Baxter made a halter Of
grasses worked into thick sail
cloth. They had not yet mounted
the animals, but it was at least
possible to harness them to the
cart. That day the cart was filled
with munitions, provisions. and
utensils, among them large, deep
pan, and half a dozen empty bar
rels which they hoped to bring
back filled with seal oil.
The boys departed at dawn and
no difficulty was encountered dur
ing the first two hours. When the
young legs of Dole and CoStar be-
gan to feel the strain Gordon let
them ride in the cart. About 8
o'clock, while laboriously Skirting
the quagmire, the cries of Cross
and Webb, who were walking
ahead, caused the others to run
toward them.
In the middle of the quagmire,
about 100 feet away, an enormous
hippopotamus wallowed in the
mud. 1t disappeared in the thick
underbrush of the marshes before
it was possible to shoot it.
Whats that enormous ami
mal?" asked Doyle, anxiously.
Its hippopotamus," said Cor
don.
"a hippopotamus! What a
mouthful of a name!'
You might as we'll say it's a
river horse!" answered Briant.
But it didn't look like a horse!"
rightly observed Costar.
NO." said Service, land it seems
to me that it would be better to
call it pigopotamus!'
The youngsters laughed merrily
at this apt observation.
A little after 10 o'clock the boys
arrived on the beach of Slough
Bay. They halted near the river
bank, where they had camped
while breaking up the yacht.
About a hundred seals were play
ing between the rocks or warming
themselves in the sun. A few of
them were even basking on the
sand beyond the reefs.
These amphibianS were not &C
customed to the presence of man.
Perhaps they had never seen a
human being, since the French
castaways must have died more
than 20 years before. That is why
the older seals were not on watch
against danger. However, it was
necessary to beware of frightening
them, or they would disappear.
AS soon as they arrived the
young colonists looked toward the
horizon between American Cape
and False Sea Point. The sea was
deserted. They realized once more
that Chairman Island was off of
the ocean highways.
If ship did pass the island a
gun fired from an observation post
on the crest of Auckland Hill
would be better than the signal
mast to attract attention. But 1t
would mean keeping night and day
watch at the post a long way from
French Den. Gordon thought it
impracticable. Even Briant, with
whom the question of going back
home was always in mind, ad-
mitted the wisdom of this.
After a haSty lunch, Gordon,
Briant, Doniphan, Gross, Baxter,
Webb, Wilcox, Garrett and Service
prepared to hunt seals. They took
all their guns and revolvers and
plenty of powder and lead, which
Gordon did not spare this time,
since it was a matter of general
welfare.
Ito Be COntinued)
Translation from the original "Deux
Ans de Vacances." copyright, 1875, by
Celesta Hamer-Jackson; distributed hY
King Features Syndicate. Inc.