 northward, a
smooth sea, and continual daylight. No ice whatever was to be seen; nor did I
ever see one particle of this after leaving the parallel of Bennet's Islet.
Indeed, the temperature of the water was here far too warm for its existence in
any quantity. Having killed the largest of our tortoises, and obtained from him
not only food but a copious supply of water, we continued on our course, without
any incident of moment, for perhaps seven or eight days, during which period we
must have proceeded a vast distance to the southward, as the wind blew
constantly with us, and a very strong current set continually in the direction
we were pursuing.
    March 1st.7 - Many unusual phenomena now indicated that we were entering
upon a region of novelty and wonder. A high range of light gray vapor appeared
constantly in the southern horizon, flaring up occasionally in lofty streaks,
now darting from east to west, now from west to east, and again presenting a
level and uniform summit - in short, having all the wild variations of the
Aurora Borealis. The average height of this vapor, as apparent from our station,
was about twenty-five degrees. The temperature of the sea seemed to be
increasing momentarily, and there was a very perceptible alteration in its
color.
    March 2d. - To-day by repeated questioning of our captive, we came to the
knowledge of many particulars in regard to the island of the massacre, its
inhabitants, and customs - but with these how can I now detain the reader? I may
say, however, that we learned there were eight islands in the group - that they
were governed by a common king, named Tsalemon or Psalemoun, who resided in one
of the smallest of the islands; that the black skins forming the dress of the
warriors came from an animal of huge size to be found only in a valley near the
court of the king - that the inhabitants of the group fabricated no other boats
than the flat-bottomed rafts; the four canoes being all of the kind in their
possession, and these having been obtained, by mere accident, from some large
island in the southwest - that his own name was Nu-Nu - that he had no knowledge
of Bennet's Islet - and that the appellation of the island he had left was
Tsalal. The commencement of the words Tsalemon and Tsalal was given with a
prolonged hissing sound, which we found it impossible to imitate, even after
repeated endeavors, and which was precisely the same with the note of the black
bittern we had eaten up
