So, in human life, steps that difficult are easiest taken. God, we need fear nothing. appear most If we trust The men called "rock-climbers" generally descend or climb the cliffs twice a week to collect the eggs of the guillemots. They sling a couple of bags over their shoulders, and descend by ropes to the different shelves of the steep rocks. When they have filled their bags, they jerk the ropes as a signal to be drawn up. In the neighbourhood of Flamborough Head you could once buy twenty guillemots' eggs for sixpence, so the poor birds must be well used to being robbed. A man, however, plunders the sea-birds in this manner the better to maintain himself and family, so we can say nothing against his doing so. But how shall we speak without shame and disgust of the people who visit the neighbourhood of Flamborough Head to destroy the innocent sea-fowl out of mere wanton cruelty? Yet such there are,-who, caring neither for the flesh, skins, nor feathers of the birds they destroy, use their guns only for what they call "the fun" of knocking the poor things over! Such persons disgrace their manhood by enjoying such wicked sport. Oh! let us detest the crime of cruelty! Depend upon it, no boy who delights to indulge in it will ever grow up a truly noble and honourable man. THE WHALE-BIRD. (Pachyptila vittata.) "The sea was rough and stormy, But onward still I sailed."-LONGFELLOW. HEN we read of icebergs and snow that never melts, and winters so frightfully cold that it is scarcely possible to live through them, we naturally think of the freezing North, quite forgetful there is a region just as dreary and desolate at the South Pole. If you should ever come across an interesting little book written by a Mr. Weddell, who, I believe, sailed farther south than any one before or since, you will be astonished to read of the wonderful sights he saw round its wild coasts. It is fifty years ago since that brave sailor made his way to the South Orkney Islands; the shores of which, he says, were terrific with icebergs drifting round them. From them he went southward, two hundred and fourteen miles farther than Captain Cook had done before him. He speaks of numbers of birds flying round the ship, and great whales sporting in the water. The weather grew milder as they sailed on, till the sea seemed almost covered with web-footed birds of a gray colour, of the Petrel family. No ice was any longer to be seen, and these Blue Petrels, or Whale-Birds, as the sailors called them, flew backwards and forwards over the ocean, never once appearing to take rest upon its surface. Another voyager, who watched these birds closely, declares they are on the wing all day and all night long. He says: "I have never seen them sit on the water for a single second, though I have observed them at all hours. They seem to catch and eat all their food during their hurried flight, never resting for a moment." These whale-birds fly in large flocks; and their under parts being pure white, they look very pretty upon the wing. The most astonishing thing about them is, they are never heard to utter a sound! Gulls scream, guillemots croak, and starlings chatter; but whale-birds get their living in perfect silence. Oh! if some people were more like whale-birds in this respect, how much less mischief would be made in the world! An old apostle said, "The tongue is a fire;" for well he knew how much good may be consumed by evil |