Page:Twenty years before the mast - Charles Erskine, 1896.djvu/137

 at Washington, D. C. They are about ten feet long, and nearly as large round as a horse.

There were many fine fur seals in the Antarctic Ocean. It is, however, a singular fact that there are no walruses or auks seen in the Antarctic seas. On many of the icebergs were armies of penguins. They are about twenty-four inches high. Some of them are dark gray, nearly black, with orange or light-gray breasts. On each side of their heads is a bunch of bright-yellow  feathers. They stand erect and appear very dignified and soldier-like. They march in companies or regiments, following after the drum-major or king-penguin, who  turns around at times to take a view of his old comrades. They reminded me of a little incident which I will relate.

At the commencement of the Mexican War, as shipping was dull, and I felt very patriotic, I shipped in one of the soldiers’ companies. The following is one of the notices which I received: "You, being enrolled as a  soldier in the company of volunteers to be annexed to the  first regiment of light infantry, are hereby ordered to appear at the usual place of parade of said company in Fanueil Hall, on Wednesday, the 17th of June, at nine o’clock  in the forenoon, as the law directs, for military duty.  By order of Alonzo Coy, commanding officer of said  company. Dated at Boston this 8th day of June, 1846." We were playing soldier finely, when the commanding officer ordered us to "ground arms." Instantly a great, clumsy soldier on my "larboard side" grounded his big,  heavy gun right on my toes. I gave an awful shriek that frightened the whole regiment. There were no