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1The Malays, who carry on a great trade in these birds with the Chinese, have several means that we could not employ for
2taking them. Sometimes they put snares on the top of high trees that the birds of paradise prefer to frequent. Sometimes
3they catch them with a viscous birdlime that paralyses their movements. They even go so far as to poison the fountains
4that the birds generally drink from. But we were obliged to fire at them during flight, which gave us few chances to
5bring them down; and, indeed, we vainly exhausted one half our ammunition. About eleven o'clock in the morning, the
6first range of mountains that form the centre of the island was traversed, and we had killed nothing. Hunger drove us
7on. The hunters had relied on the products of the chase, and they were wrong. Happily Conseil, to his great surprise,
8made a double shot and secured breakfast. He brought down a white pigeon and a wood-pigeon, which, cleverly plucked and
9suspended from a skewer, was roasted before a red fire of dead wood. While these interesting birds were cooking, Ned
10prepared the fruit of the bread-tree. Then the wood-pigeons were devoured to the bones, and declared excellent. The
11nutmeg, with which they are in the habit of stuffing their crops, flavours their flesh and renders it delicious eating.
12"Now, Ned, what do you miss now?" "Some four-footed game, M. Aronnax. All these pigeons are only side-dishes and
13trifles; and until I have killed an animal with cutlets I shall not be content." "Nor I, Ned, if I do not catch a bird
14of paradise." "Let us continue hunting," replied Conseil. "Let us go towards the sea. We have arrived at the first
15declivities of the mountains, and I think we had better regain the region of forests." That was sensible advice, and was
16followed out. After walking for one hour we had attained a forest of sago-trees. Some inoffensive serpents glided away
17from us. The birds of paradise fled at our approach, and truly I despaired of getting near one when Conseil, who was
18walking in front, suddenly bent down, uttered a triumphal cry, and came back to me bringing a magnificent specimen. "Ah!
19bravo, Conseil!" "Master is very good." "No, my boy; you have made an excellent stroke. Take one of these living birds,
20and carry it in your hand." "If master will examine it, he will see that I have not deserved great merit." "Why,
21Conseil?" "Because this bird is as drunk as a quail." "Drunk!" "Yes, sir; drunk with the nutmegs that it devoured under
22the nutmeg-tree, under which I found it. See, friend Ned, see the monstrous effects of intemperance!" "By Jove!"
23exclaimed the Canadian, "because I have drunk gin for two months, you must needs reproach me!" However, I examined the
24curious bird. Conseil was right. The bird, drunk with the juice, was quite powerless. It could not fly; it could hardly
25walk. This bird belonged to the most beautiful of the eight species that are found in Papua and in the neighbouring
26islands. It was the "large emerald bird, the most rare kind." It measured three feet in length. Its head was
27comparatively small, its eyes placed near the opening of the beak, and also small. But the shades of colour were
28beautiful, having a yellow beak, brown feet and claws, nut-coloured wings with purple tips, pale yellow at the back of
29the neck and head, and emerald colour at the throat, chestnut on the breast and belly. Two horned, downy nets rose from
30below the tail, that prolonged the long light feathers of admirable fineness, and they completed the whole of this
31marvellous bird, that the natives have poetically named the "bird of the sun." But if my wishes were satisfied by the
32possession of the bird of paradise, the Canadian's were not yet. Happily, about two o'clock, Ned Land brought down a
33magnificent hog; from the brood of those the natives call "bari-outang." The animal came in time for us to procure real
34quadruped meat, and he was well received. Ned Land was very proud of his shot. The hog, hit by the electric ball, fell
35stone dead. The Canadian skinned and cleaned it properly, after having taken half a dozen cutlets, destined to furnish
36us with a grilled repast in the evening. Then the hunt was resumed, which was still more marked by Ned and Conseil's
37exploits. Indeed, the two friends, beating the bushes, roused a herd of kangaroos that fled and bounded along on their
38elastic paws. But these animals did not take to flight so rapidly but what the electric capsule could stop their course.
39"Ah, Professor!" cried Ned Land, who was carried away by the delights of the chase, "what excellent game, and stewed,
40too! What a supply for the Nautilus! Two! three! five down! And to think that we shall eat that flesh, and that the
41idiots on board shall not have a crumb!" I think that, in the excess of his joy, the Canadian, if he had not talked so
42much, would have killed them all. But he contented himself with a single dozen of these interesting marsupians. These
43animals were small. They were a species of those "kangaroo rabbitss" that live habitually in the hollows of trees, and
44whose speed is extreme; but they are moderately fat, and furnish, at least, estimable food. We were very satisfied with
45the results of the hunt. Happy Ned proposed to return to this enchanting island the next day, for he wished to
46depopulate it of all the eatable quadrupeds. But he had reckoned without his host. At six o'clock in the evening we had
47regained the shore; our boat was moored to the usual place. The Nautilus, like a long rock, emerged from the waves two
48miles from the beach. Ned Land, without waiting, occupied himself about the important dinner business. He understood all
49about cooking well. The "bari-outang," grilled on the coals, soon scented the air with a delicious odour. Indeed, the
50dinner was excellent. Two wood-pigeons completed this extraordinary menu. The sago pasty, the artocarpus bread, some
51mangoes, half a dozen pineapples, and the liquor fermented from some coco-nuts, overjoyed us. I even think that my
52worthy companions' ideas had not all the plainness desirable. "Suppose we do not return to the Nautilus this evening?"
53said Conseil. "Suppose we never return?" added Ned Land. Just then a stone fell at our feet and cut short the
54harpooner's proposition.
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