The people of New Zealand would have welcomed us, I think, whatever had been the result of our efforts, for since the early days of the _Discovery_ expedition their keen interest in Antarctic exploration has never faltered, and their attitude towards us was always that of warm personal friendship. But the news of the measure of success we had achieved had been published in London and flashed back to the southern countries, and we were met out in the harbour and on the wharves by cheering crowds. Enthusiastic friends boarded the _Nimrod_ almost as soon as she entered the heads, and when our gallant little vessel came alongside the quay the crowd on deck became so great that movement was almost impossible. Then I was handed great bundles of letters and cablegrams. The loved one at home were well, the world was pleased with our work, and it seemed as though nothing but joy and happiness could ever enter life again. [Illustration: Emperor Penguin. (_See page 238_)] CHAPTER XLV PENGUINS (_Some Notes by James Murray, Biologist to the Expedition_) Though so much has been written about them, penguins always excite fresh interest in every one who sees them for the first time. There is endless interest in watching them; the dignified Emperor, dignified in spite of his clumsy waddle, going along with his wife (or wives) by his side, the very picture of a successful, self-satisfied, unsuspicious countryman, and gravely bowing like a Chinaman before a yelping dog, and also the little undignified matter-of-fact Adelie, minding his own business in a most praiseworthy manner. Often they behave with apparent stupidity, but sometimes they show a good deal of intelligence. Their resemblance to human beings is always noticed, partly because they walk erect, but they also have many other human traits. They are the civilised nations of the Antarctic regions, and their civilisation, if much simpler than ours, is in some respects higher and more worthy of the name. But there is also a good deal of human nature in them. As in the human race, their gathering in colonies does not show any true social instinct; each penguin is in the rookery for his own ends, there is no thought of the general good. You might exterminate an Adelie rookery with the exception of one bird, and he would not mind so long as you left him alone. Some suggestion of unselfishness does appear in the nesting habits of the Adelie, and like men the Adelies have the unpleasant habit of stealing and the pleasant one of not making eating the prime business in life. Both Emperors and Adelies, when nesting is off their minds, show a legitimate curiosity, and having got into good condition they leave the sea and go off in parties for weeks, apparently to see the country.