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in　a　pile　of　loose　stones；　a　piece　of　wood；　which　seemed　to　have
formed　the　prow　of　a　canoe。　There　had　been　evidently　some　attempt　at
carving　upon　it；　and　Captain　Guy　fancied　that　he　made　out　the　figure
of　a　tortoise；　but　the　resemblance　did　not　strike　me　very　forcibly。
Besides　this　prow；　if　such　it　were；　we　found　no　other　token　that　any
living　creature　had　ever　been　here　before。　Around　the　coast　we
discovered　occasional　small　floes　of　ice…　but　these　were　very　few。
The　exact　situation　of　the　islet　（to　which　Captain　Guy　gave　the　name
of　Bennet's　Islet；　in　honour　of　his　partner　in　the　ownership　of　the
schooner）　is　82　degrees　50'　S。　latitude；　42　degrees　20'　W。　longitude。

　　　　We　had　now　advanced　to　the　southward　more　than　eight　degrees
farther　than　any　previous　navigators；　and　the　sea　still　lay　perfectly
open　before　us。　We　found；　too；　that　the　variation　uniformly　decreased
as　we　proceeded；　and；　what　was　still　more　surprising；　that　the
temperature　of　the　air；　and　latterly　of　the　water；　became　milder。　The
weather　might　even　be　called　pleasant；　and　we　had　a　steady　but　very
gentle　breeze　always　from　some　northern　point　of　the　compass。　The　sky
was　usually　clear；　with　now　and　then　a　slight　appearance　of　thin
vapour　in　the　southern　horizon…　this；　however；　was　invariably　of
brief　duration。　Two　difficulties　alone　presented　themselves　to　our
view；　we　were　getting　short　of　fuel；　and　symptoms　of　scurvy　had
occurred　among　several　of　the　crew。　These　considerations　began　to
impress　upon　Captain　Guy　the　necessity　of　returning；　and　he　spoke　of
it　frequently。　For　my　own　part；　confident　as　I　was　of　soon　arriving
at　land　of　some　description　upon　the　course　we　were　pursuing；　and
having　every　reason　to　believe；　from　present　appearances；　that　we
should　not　find　it　the　sterile　soil　met　with　in　the　higher　Arctic
latitudes；　I　warmly　pressed　upon　him　the　expediency　of　persevering；
at　least　for　a　few　days　longer；　in　the　direction　we　were　now　holding。
So　tempting　an　opportunity　of　solving　the　great　problem　in　regard　to
an　Antarctic　continent　had　never　yet　been　afforded　to　man；　and　I
confess　that　I　felt　myself　bursting　with　indignation　at　the　timid　and
ill…timed　suggestions　of　our　commander。　I　believe；　indeed；　that　what
I　could　not　refrain　from　saying　to　him　on　this　head　had　the　effect　of
inducing　him　to　push　on。　While；　therefore；　I　cannot　but　lament　the
most　unfortunate　and　bloody　events　which　immediately　arose　from　my
advice；　I　must　still　be　allowed　to　feel　some　degree　of　gratification
at　having　been　instrumental；　however　remotely；　in　opening　to　the　eye
of　science　one　of　the　most　intensely　exciting　secrets　which　has　ever
engrossed　its　attention。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　17　~~~

CHAPTER　18



　　　　January　18。…　This　morning　｛*4｝　we　continued　to　the　southward；
with　the　same　pleasant　weather　as　before。　The　sea　was　entirely
smooth；　the　air　tolerably　warm　and　from　the　northeast；　the
temperature　of　the　water　fifty…three。　We　now　again　got　our
sounding…gear　in　order；　and；　with　a　hundred　and　fifty　fathoms　of
line；　found　the　current　setting　toward　the　pole　at　the　rate　of　a　mile
an　hour。　This　constant　tendency　to　the　southward；　both　in　the　wind
and　current；　caused　some　degree　of　speculation；　and　even　of　alarm；　in
different　quarters　of　the　schooner；　and　I　saw　distinctly　that　no
little　impression　had　been　made　upon　the　mind　of　Captain　Guy。　He　was
exceedingly　sensitive　to　ridicule；　however；　and　I　finally　succeeded
in　laughing　him　out　of　his　apprehensions。　The　variation　was　now　very
trivial。　In　the　course　of　the　day　we　saw　several　large　whales　of　the
right　species；　and　innumerable　flights　of　the　albatross　passed　over
the　vessel。　We　also　picked　up　a　bush；　full　of　red　berries；　like　those
of　the　hawthorn；　and　the　carcass　of　a　singular…looking　land…animal。
It　was　three　feet　in　length；　and　but　six　inches　in　height；　with　four
very　short　legs；　the　feet　armed　with　long　claws　of　a　brilliant
scarlet；　and　resembling　coral　in　substance。　The　body　was　covered　with
a　straight　silky　hair；　perfectly　white。　The　tail　was　peaked　like　that
of　a　rat；　and　about　a　foot　and　a　half　long。　The　head　resembled　a
cat's；　with　the　exception　of　the　ears…　these　were　flopped　like　the
ears　of　a　dog。　The　teeth　were　of　the　same　brilliant　scarlet　as　the
claws。

　　　　January　19。…　To…day；　being　in　latitude　83　degrees　20'；　longitude
43　degrees　5'　W。　（the　sea　being　of　an　extraordinarily　dark　colour）；
we　again　saw　land　from　the　masthead；　and；　upon　a　closer　scrutiny；
found　it　to　be　one　of　a　group　of　very　large　islands。　The　shore　was
precipitous；　and　the　interior　seemed　to　be　well　wooded；　a
circumstance　which　occasioned　us　great　joy。　In　about　four　hours　from
our　first　discovering　the　land　we　came　to　anchor　in　ten　fathoms；
sandy　bottom；　a　league　from　the　coast；　as　a　high　surf；　with　strong
ripples　here　and　there；　rendered　a　nearer　approach　of　doubtful
expediency。　The　two　largest　boats　were　now　ordered　out；　and　a　party；
well　armed　（among　whom　were　Peters　and　myself）；　proceeded　to　look　for
an　opening　in　the　reef　which　appeared　to　encircle　the　island。　After
searching　about　for　some　time；　we　discovered　an　inlet；　which　we　were
entering；　when　we　saw　four　large　canoes　put　off　from　the　shore；
filled　with　men　who　seemed　to　be　well　armed。　We　waited　for　them　to
come　up；　and；　as　they　moved　with　great　rapidity；　they　were　soon
within　hail。　Captain　Guy　now　held　up　a　white　handkerchief　on　the
blade　of　an　oar；　when　the　strangers　made　a　full　stop；　and　commenced　a
loud　jabbering　all　at　once；　intermingled　with　occasional　shouts；　in
which　we　could　distinguish　the　words　Anamoo…moo！　and　Lama…Lama！　They
continued　this　for　at　least　half　an　hour；　during　which　we　had　a　good
opportunity　of　observing　their　appearance。

　　　　　In　the　four　canoes；　which　might　have　been　fifty　feet　long　and
five　broad；　there　were　a　hundred　and　ten　savages　in　all。　They　were
about　the　ordinary　stature　of　Europeans；　but　of　a　more　muscular　and
brawny　frame。　Their　complexion　a　jet　black；　with　thick　and　long
woolly　hair。　They　were　clothed　in　skins　of　an　unknown　black　animal；
shaggy　and　silky；　and　made　to　fit　the　body　with　some　degree　of　skill；
the　hair　being　inside；　except　where　turned　out　about　the　neck；
wrists；　and　ankles。　Their　arms　consisted　principally　of　clubs；　of　a
dark；　and　apparently　very　heavy　wood。　Some　spears；　however；　were
observed　among　them；　headed　with　flint；　and　a　few　slings。　The　bottoms
of　the　canoes　were　full　of　black　stones　about　the　size　of　a　large　egg。

　　　　　When　they　had　concluded　their　harangue　（for　it　was　clear　they
intended　their　jabbering　for　such）；　one　of　them　who　seemed　to　be　the
chief　stood　up　in　the　prow　of　his　canoe；　and　made　signs　for　us　to
bring　our　boats　alongside　of　him。　This　hint　we　pretended　not　to
understand；　thinking　it　the　wiser　plan　to　maintain；　if　possible；　the
interval　between　us；　as　their　number　more　than　quadrupled　our　own。
Finding　this　to　be　the　case；　the　chief　ordered　the　three　other　canoes
to　hold　back；　while　he　advanced　toward　us　with　his　own。　As　soon　as　he
came　up　with　us　he　leaped　on　board　the　largest　of　our　boats；　and
seated　himself　by　the　side　of　Captain　Guy；　pointing　at　the　same　time
to　the　schooner；　and　repeating　the　word　Anamoo…moo！　and　Lama…Lama！　We
now　put　back　to　the　vessel；　the　four　canoes　following　at　a　little
distance。

　　　　　Upon　getting　alongside；　the　chief　evinced　symptoms　of　extreme
surprise　and　delight；　clapping　his　hands；　slapping　his　thighs　and
breast；　and　laughing　obstreperously。　His　followers　behind　joined　in
his　merriment；　and　for　some　minutes　the　din　was　so　excessive　as　to　be
absolutely　deafening。　Quiet　being　at　length　restored；　Captain　Guy
ordered　the　boats　to　be　hoisted　up；　as　a　necessary　precaution；　and
gave　the　chief　（whose　name　we　soon　found　to　be　Too…wit）　to　understand
that　we　could　admit　no　more　than　twenty　of　his　men　on　deck　at　one
time。　With　this　arrangement　he　appeared　perfectly　satisfied；　and　gave
some　directions　to　the　canoes；　when　one　of　them　approached；　the　rest
remaining　about　fifty　yards　off。　Twenty　of　the　savages　now　got　on
board；　and　proceeded　to　ramble　over　every　part　of　the　deck；　and
scramble　about　among　the　rigging；　making　themselves　much　at　home；　and
examining　every　article　with　great　inquisitiveness。

　　　　　It　was　quite　evident　that　they　had　never　before　seen　any　of　the
white　race…　from　whose　complexion；　indeed；　they　appeared　to　recoil。
They　believed　the　Jane　to　be　a　living　creature；　and　seemed　to　be
afraid　of　hurting　it　with　the　points　of　their　spears；　carefully
turning　them　up。　Our　crew　were　much　amused　with　the　conduct　of
Too…wit　in　one　instance。　The　cook　was　splitting　some　wood　near　the
galley；　and；　by　accident；　struck　his　axe　into　the　deck；　making　a　gash
of　considerable　depth。　The　chief　immediately　ran　up；　and　pushing　the
cook　on　one　side　rather　roughly；　commenced　a　half　whine；　half　howl；
strongly　indicative　of　sympathy　in　what　he　considered　the　sufferings
of　the　schooner；　patting　and　smoothing　the　gash　with　his　hand；　and
washing　it　from　a　bucket　of　seawater　which　stood　by。　This　was　a
degree　of　ignorance　for　which　we　were　not　prepared；　and　for　my　part　I
could　not　help　thinking　some　of　it　affected。

　　　　　When　the　visitors　had　satisfied；　as　well　as　they　could；　their
curiosity　in　regard　to　our　upper　works；　they　were　admitted　below；
when　their　amazement　exceeded　all　bounds。　Their　astonishment　now
appeared　to　be　far　too　deep　for　words；　for　they　roamed　about　in
silence；　broken　only　by　low　ejaculations。　The　arms　afforded　them　much
food　for　speculation；　and　they　were　suffered　to　handle　and　examine
them　at　leisure。　I　do　not　believe　that　they　had　the　least　suspicion
of　their　actual　use；　but　rather　took　them　for　idols；　seeing　the　care
we　had　of　them；　and　the　attention　with　which　we　watched　their
movements　while　handling　them。　At　the　great　guns　their　wonder　was
redoubled。　They　approached　them　with　every　mark　of　the　profoundest
reverence　and　awe；　but　forbore　to　examine　them　minutely。　There　were
two　large　mirrors　in　the　cabin；　and　here　was　the　acme　of　their
amazement。　Too…wit　was　the　first　to　approach　them；　and　he　had　got　in
the　middle　of　the　cabin；　with　his　face　to　one　and　his　back　to　the
other；　before　he　fairly　perceived　them。　Upon　raising　hi