Suddenly, above the roar of the surf, the barking of the sea elephants and the cries of the birds, came the sharp order “Let go!” and as the huge yards were swung and the cable roared out and the anchor struck the water with a mighty splash, pandemonium seemed to be let loose upon the island. Like a vast, white cloud the albatrosses and sea birds rose with a roar of wings like thunder, while the air was filled with their sharp cries, and as with one accord every sea elephant raised high his head, bared his long teeth and roared forth a barking howl of defiance at the intruders.
Rapidly the sails were furled and the men prepared to lower the boats and go ashore, for Captain Edwards was to continue on with the _Hector_ to the other islands after leaving a shore party here to kill sea elephants and boil down their oil. There was much to be accomplished. Lumber and supplies had to be sent ashore for building shacks for the men. Thousands of barrel shooks had to be placed on the land for use in stowing the oil. Clothing, provisions, fuel and a hundred and one other articles had to be transported from the bark to the island. There were tools, rope, canvas, forges, arms, ammunition, medicines, spades, irons, lances and many other utensils which were essential to the men and time was limited, if the captain were to get a full ship and sail north before the short Antarctic summer was over.
The first boat lowered was to go ashore to select sites for the men’s quarters and for the try-works while the other boats were being loaded, and Cap’n Pem, who was in charge, called to the two boys to jump in.
“Gosh!” cried Jim as the boat neared the shore and was surrounded by scores of swimming sea elephants, “you’re not going to land among all those beasts are you?”
“Sure as is!” laughed old Pem. “Them critters won’t hurt a fly. Jes’ shuffle out o’ the way an’ bark a bit. Well, we’ll have fresh meat fer dinner to-night, anyway. We’ll jes’ knock a few o’ them over the snout an’ have biled tongue an’ roast flipper an’ fried liver. Finest eatin’ ye ever see, boys.”
Despite Cap’n Pem’s assurances that the creatures would not harm them, the boys were very nervous as the boat grated on the beach within a few yards of the vast herd of giant seals, and they had no desire to be the first to leap ashore among the growling, barking horde of animals which wrinkled their snouts and bared their huge tusks as the boat drew near. But the men appeared not to give the sea elephants a thought, and jumping from the boat ran it far up the shingle. As they did so, the nearest elephants wriggled and dragged themselves to one side and the boys, taking courage at this, fought down their fears and followed Cap’n Pem up the beach. Here, when seen at close quarters, the sea elephants seemed stupendous.