I had not yet entered the tent when I heard a perfect tumult within, every one talking so loud, and all together, that I verily thought they had fallen out and were going to handicuffs. However, I resolved to go in amongst them and try to compose their difference; when just entering, and they spying me, several ran to me with each a skin in his hand, the rest following as fast as they could. "Gentlemen," says I, "I hoped to have found you all at rest."--"So we should have been," says one of them, "but for these what you call 'ems."--"It is my unspeakable misfortune," says I, "that I have no more at your service, and am sorry that I should cause them to be brought, since each of you cannot have one." Says one of them, "I don't want one, I have seen enough of it."-- "Then, gentlemen," says I, "it is possible there may be so many more of that colamb's mind that there may be sufficient for those who desire them." They neither knew what to make of me nor I of them all this while; till an old colamb perceiving our mistake, "Mr. Peter," says he, "we have only had a dispute."--"I am sorry at my heart for it," says I, "but I perceived you were very warm before I entered, and am in great hopes of compromising matters to all your satisfactions."--"I was going," says the same colamb, "to tell you we had a dispute about what these things were, nothing else." I was then struck on a heap, being quite ashamed they should think I suspected they had been quarrelling for the skins; and how to come off I knew not. "You'll excuse me, sir," says I, "for expressing a concern that you could not each have one to examine into at the same time, that one of you need not have waited to make your remarks till the other had done."--"No occasion, no occasion for that, Mr. Peter," said they all together; "we shall have leisure enough to examine them to-morrow; but we want to know what they are, and where they grow."--"Gentlemen," says I, "each of these is the clothing of a particular fish. And where do they grow?" said they. "In the lake," says I; "they are a living creature, who inhabit that great water; I often catch them when I am fishing, the same exercise we shall go upon to-morrow." I had much ado to persuade them they did not grow on trees, which I was then much more surprised at than some time after, that I returned their visit; but having satisfied them, and given them some possible hopes they might see one alive next day, they were very well contented, and we all lay down to rest. [Illustration: 5069] [Illustration: 0070] CHAPTER VII. _Go afishing--Catch a beast-fish--Afraid of the gun--How Peter altered his net--Fish dinner for the guards--Method of dressing and eating it._