The group consists of the larger island of Tristan and two smaller islands--Inaccessible Island, some eighteen miles to the south-west, and Nightingale Island, twenty miles to the south.

These islands are uninhabited, save by penguins and seals; but an interesting little colony of some eighty souls occupies Tristan, breeding cattle and cultivating vegetables, with which they supply passing vessels, mostly whalers--these calling there from time to time, on their way to and from their fishing grounds in the great Southern Ocean." "Your account is highly interesting, my dear Eric," said Fritz, when his brother had completed this exhaustive description of the Tristan d'Acunha group; "still, I confess I do not see in what way it affects me." "Don't you ?" "No." "Then you will soon; listen a moment longer.

I told you that, with the exception of the larger one, these islands are uninhabited save by the penguins and seals and such-like marine animals." "Yes, you've told me that; and I don't wonder at it when they are situated so remotely from all civilisation." "That fact has its advantages none the less," proceeded Eric.

"Being so cut off from communication with men makes these islands just the favourite resort of those animals that shun the presence of their destroyers.

Seals, as you know, are very nervous, retiring creatures seeking their breeding-places in the most out-of-the-way, deserted spots they can find; and the advance of the human race, planting colonies where the poor things had formerly undisputed sway around the shores of the South American continent, has driven them further and further afield, or rather to sea, until they are now only to be met with in any numbers in the Antarctic Ocean, and such islands as lie adjacent to that great Southern continent which has never yet been discovered--although Lord Ross pretty nearly put foot on it, if any explorer can be said to have done that." "Really, Eric," exclaimed Fritz jokingly, "you surpass yourself!" "Oh, I've read up all this in some books Captain Brown lent me," said the boy.