INSPIRED BY ZEAL. 15

cated his enthusiasm to many of his comrades,
who followed his example and made the same
sacrifice. A touching entry in hig diary shows
that his zeal was equalled by others of the devoted
band. He had been passing a day upon an island,
and returned loaded with a rich harvest of zoolo-
gical specimens. “At sight of this numerous and
magnificent collection,” he writes, “ my unfortunate
colleague Maugé was unable to restrain his tears.
Notwithstanding his exhausted and consumptive
state, he resolved next day to go on shore himself
to seek new specimens; but alas! he listened but
to his zeal and courage—his dying frame was
unequal to the effort. Scarcely had he reached
the strand before he fainted, and was immediately
carried back on board in such a state of debility
that his life was for a while despaired of. This
was the last instance of his zeal: he went no more
on shore but to the grave.”

It was especially in the midst of such dangers
that Peron exhibited the energy of his character
and his devoted zeal in the pursuit of his object.
During storms he used to work as a common sailor,
and all the time would be observing with perfect
composure. No event ever diverted his attention
from his beloved pursuit. Having landed upon
King’s Island with several of his companions, a
sudden gale drove the ship to sea, and they saw