onely wave;
Nor was our queenly power unknown
In Iceland or by Amazon;
For where the brown duck stripped her breast
For her dear eggs and windy nest,
Three times her bitter spoil was won
For woman; and when all was done,
She called her snow-white piteous drake,
Who plucked his bosom for our sake."

126. "See 'Hartwig's Polar World' for the manner of taking
Eiderdown."--Once more, we have thus much of author's note, but edition
and page not specified, which, however, I am fortunately able to
supply. Mr. Hartwig's miscellany being a favorite--what can I call it,
sand-hill?--of my own, out of which every now and then, in a rasorial
manner, I can scratch some savory or useful contents;--one or two, it
may be remembered, I collected for the behoof of the Bishop of
Manchester, on this very subject, (_Contemporary Review_, Feb. 1880);
and some of Mr. Hartwig's half-sandy, half-soppy, political opinions,
are offered to the consideration of the British workman in the last
extant number of 'Fors.' Touching eider ducks, I find in his fifth
chapter--on Iceland--he quotes the following account, by Mr. Shepherd,
of the shore of the island of 'Isafjardarjup'--a word which seems to
contain in itself an introduction to Icelandic literature:--

127. "The ducks and their nests were everywhere, in a manner that was
quite alarming. Great brown ducks sat upon their nests in masses, and
at every step started up from under our feet. It was with difficulty
that we avoided treading on some of the nests. The island being but
three-quarters of a mile in width, the opposite shore was soon reached.
On the coast was a wall built of large stones, just above the
high-water level, about three feet in height, and of considerable
thickness. At the bottom, on both sides of it, alternate stones had
been left out, so as to form a series of square compartments for the
ducks to make their nests in. Almost every compartment was occupied;
and, as we walked along the shore, a long line of ducks flew out one
after another. The surface of the water also was perfectly white with
drakes, who welcomed their brown wives with loud and clamorous cooing.
When we arrived at the farmhouse, we were cordially welcomed by its
mistress. The house itself was a great marvel. The earthen wall that
surrounded it and the window embrasures were occupied by ducks. On the
ground, the house was fringed with ducks. On the turf-slopes of the
roof we co