[An Antarctic Mystery by Jules Verne]@TWC D-Link book
An Antarctic Mystery

CHAPTER XI
2/13

Without taking the penguins into account, those guano-covered rocks were crowded with white pigeons, a species of which I had already seen some specimens.

These birds have rather short, conical beaks, and red-rimmed eyelids; they can be knocked over with little difficulty.
As for the vegetable kingdom in the New South Orkneys, it is represented only by grey lichen and some scanty seaweeds.

Mussels are found in great abundance all along the rocks; of these we procured an ample supply.
The boatswain and his men did not lose the opportunity of killing several dozens of penguins with their sticks, not from a ruthless instinct of destruction, but from the legitimate desire to procure fresh food.
"Their flesh is just as good as chicken, Mr.Jeorling," said Hurliguerly.

"Did you not eat penguin at the Kerguelens ?" "Yes, boatswain, but it was cooked by Arkins." "Very well, then; it will be cooked by Endicott here, and you will not know the difference." And in fact we in the saloon, like the men in the forecastle, were regaled with penguin, and acknowledged the merits of our excellent sea-cook.
The _Halbrane_ sailed on the 26th of November, at six o'clock in the morning, heading south.

She reascended the forty-third meridian; this we were able to ascertain very exactly by a good observation.
This route it was that Weddell and then William Guy had followed, and, provided the schooner did not deflect either to the east or the west, she must inevitably come to Tsalal Island.


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