“But I say, boys, there is no reason why you should sit up all night, even if yonder birds and beasts do. Off with you and turn in.”
Charlie’s sleep was very dreamful that night, and so was Walter’s too.
But what they had seen the day before was nothing to the sights that met their gaze next morning when the boats landed.
They had been told to land on a white tongue of land where penguins were marching about and sea-leopards lolling in the sunshine, half-standing on their flippers to stare at the advancing boats, scratching themselves, and assuming the most ridiculous attitudes imaginable.
They had the pleasure of seeing several whales, and it was well they did not come into anything like close contact with these, or a nasty capsize would have been the consequence.
The seals were not a bit afraid of them, and hardly troubled to shuffle away into the water. Those who did made splendid dives. Charlie could not help envying them, but he himself would not have cared to dive into so dark and deep and cold a sea.
Some of the smaller ones were pole-axed (clubbed) because the flesh is palatable, and fried seal’s-liver and bacon make a capital breakfast dish.
Close to the precipitous ice-cliffs they had been warned not to venture, and indeed, while gazing and wondering at these as they shone and shimmered in the sunshine, a terrible explosion took place. High up a portion of the ice-wall fell, thundering and splashing into the sea, where it was splintered into pieces.
It fell right into the midst of a portion of water black with the heads of wondering seals, yet not one floated up dead, so nimbly had they dived beneath.
The camera-men and general observation-takers managed to climb a snowy mountain-peak, and I need hardly say that our heroes formed three of the party.