the boat fishing, so that we
may not trespass on our salt provisions."

"Pat Casey is the most skilful fisherman among us, and he with another
of our party will do as you suggest, doctor," said Tom.

Tom and Desmond accordingly, who had wished to explore the end of the
island not hitherto visited, set off with their guns the next morning.
They had not gone far when they found themselves among numbers of birds,
a large portion of which had made their nests on the ground. It
appeared that for some reason or other they had selected the southern
end of the island. Most of them were so tame that they refused to move,
and attacked the midshipmen's legs with their beaks. Among them were
gannets, sooty terns, and tropical birds in large numbers. The gannets
sat on their eggs croaking hoarsely, not moving even when the midshipmen
attempted to catch them. There were also frigate birds which had built
their nests, in the lower trees, of a few sticks roughly put together.
They sat for some time watching the trespassers on their domain, then
spreading their wings flew off, inflating their blood-red bladders,
which were of the size of the largest cocoa-nuts, to aid them in their
ascent though the air.

"We need not expend any powder and shot on these fellows," observed
Desmond; "and all we have to do is to wring the necks of as many as we
want for our use, and take the eggs."

"Let us ascertain how long the eggs have been sat upon, or we may have
the trouble of carrying them for nothing," answered Tom.

They went forward, expecting to get beyond the region of birds, but
instead, the nests grew thicker and thicker; indeed, the midshipmen's
progress was almost stopped at times, as they had to dodge in and out
and skip here and there to avoid the attacks made on their legs.

"We need have no fear of starving, although we might in time get tired
of poultry," said Desmond.

At last they came to a lower part of the island, over which the sea
occasionally washed. It had been avoided by the wise birds, but still
had its inhabitants. Whole armies of soldier-crabs were marching about
in every direction with their shells on their backs, as well as common
crabs on the watch for lizard or snake-like creatures which ventured
among them. Sometimes, when a big crab had got hold of one of these,
and its attention was occupied in carrying off its prey, a frigate bird
would pounce down and seize it, carrying both it and its captive off