Ornithological biography, Vol. 4 (of 5) : $b An account of the habits of the birds of the United States of AmericaAudubon, John James
Science
Ornithological biography, Vol. 4 (of 5) : $b An account of the habits of the birds of the United States of America
Audubon, John James
Birds -- North America
either side and sweeping over the surface of the ocean. The Ripley now
partially furled her sails, and lay to, when all on board were eager
to scale the abrupt sides of the mountain isle, and satisfy their
curiosity.
Judge, Reader, of our disappointment. The weather, which hitherto had
been beautiful, suddenly changed, and we were assailed by a fearful
storm. However, the whale-boat was hoisted over, and manned by four
sturdy “down-easters,” along with THOMAS LINCOLN and my son. I remained
on board the Ripley, and commenced my distant observations, which I
shall relate in due time.
An hour has elapsed; the boat, which had been hid from our sight, is
now in view; the waves run high, and all around looks dismal. See what
exertions the rowers make; it blows a hurricane, and each successive
billow seems destined to overwhelm their fragile bark. My anxiety is
intense, as you may imagine; in the midst of my friends and the crew I
watch every movement of the boat, now balanced on the very crest of a
rolling and foaming wave, now sunk far into the deep trough. We see how
eagerly yet calmly they pull. My son stands erect, steering with a long
oar, and LINCOLN is bailing the water which is gaining on him, for the
spray ever and anon dashes over the bow. But they draw near, a rope is
thrown and caught, the whale-boat is hauled close under our lee-board;
in a moment more all are safe on deck, the helm round, the schooner to,
and away under bare poles she scuds toward Labrador.
THOMAS LINCOLN and my son were much exhausted, and the sailors required
a double allowance of grog. A quantity of eggs of various kinds, and
several birds, had been procured, for wherever sufficient room for
a gannet’s nest was not afforded on the rock, one or two Guillemots
occupied the spot, and on the ledges below the Kittiwakes lay thick
like snow-flakes. The discharging of their guns produced no other
effect than to cause the birds killed or severely wounded to fall into
the water, for the cries of the countless multitudes drowned every
other noise. The party had their clothes smeared with the nauseous
excrements of hundreds of gannets and other birds, which in shooting
off from their nests caused numerous eggs to fall, of which some were
procured entire. The confusion on and around the rock was represented
as baffling all description; and as we gazed on the mass now gradually
fading on our sight, we all judged it well worth the while to cross
the ocean to see such a sight. But yet it was in some measure a
painful sight to me, for I had not been able to land on this great
breeding-place, of which, however, I here present a description given
by our pilot Mr GODWIN.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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