He could not be prevailed
      upon to touch it or go near it, shuddering when we attempted to
      force him, and shrieking out, _“Tekeli-li!”_

      Having completed our arrangements in regard to the security of
      the canoe, we now set sail to the south-southeast for the
      present, with the view of weathering the most southerly of the
      group in sight. This being done, we turned the bow full to the
      southward. The weather could by no means be considered
      disagreeable. We had a prevailing and very gentle wind from the
      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 on the summit
      of the hill. _March 3d._-The heat of the water was now truly remarkable, and
      in color was undergoing a rapid change, being no longer
      transparent, but of a milky consistency and hue. In our immediate
      vicinity it was usually smooth, never so rough as to endanger the
      canoe—but we were frequently surprised at perceiving, to our
      right and left, at different distances, sudden and extensive
      agitations of the surface; these, we at length noticed, were
      always preceded by wild flickerings in the region of vapor to the
      southward. _March 4th._-To-day, with the view of widening our sail, the
      breeze from the northward dying away perceptibly, I took from my
      coat-pocket a white handkerchief. Nu-Nu was seated at my elbow,
      and the linen accidentally flaring in his face, he became
      violently affected with convulsions. These were succeeded by
      drowsiness and stupor, and low murmurings of _“‘Tekeli-li! Tekeli-li!”_

      _March_5th.-The wind had entirely ceased, but it was evident that
      we were still hurrying on to the southward, under the influence
      of a powerful current. And now,—indeed, it would seem reasonable
      that we should experience some alarm at the turn events were
      taking—but we felt none. The countenance of Peters indicated
      nothing of this nature, although it wore at times an expression I
      could not fathom. The polar winter appeared to be coming on—but
      coming without its terrors. I felt a numbness of body and mind—a
      dreaminess of sensation but this was all. _March 6th._-The gray vapor had now arisen many more degrees
      above the horizon, and was gradually losing its grayness of tint. The heat of the water was extreme, even unpleasant to the touch,
      and its milky hue was more evident than ever. Today a violent
      agitation of the water occurred very close to the canoe. It was
      attended, as usual, with a wild flaring up of the vapor at its
      summit, and a momentary division at its base. A fine white
      powder, resembling ashes—but certainly not such—fell over the
      canoe and over a large surface of the water, as the flickering
      died away among the vapor and the commotion subsided in the sea. Nu-Nu now threw himself on his face in the bottom of the boat,
      and no persuasions could induce him to arise. _March 7th._-This day we questioned Nu-Nu concerning the motives
      of his countrymen in destroying our companions; but he appeared
      to be too utterly overcome by terror to afford us any rational
      reply. He still obstinately lay in the bottom of the boat; and,
      upon reiterating the questions as to the motive, made use only of
      idiotic gesticulations, such as raising with his forefinger the
      upper lip, and displaying the teeth which lay beneath it. These
      were black. We had never before seen the teeth of an inhabitant
      of Tsalal. _March 8th._-To-day there floated by us one of the white animals
      whose appearance upon the beach at Tsalal had occasioned so wild
      a commotion among the savages. I would have picked it up, but
      there came over me a sudden listlessness, and I forbore. The heat
      of the water still increased, and the hand could no longer be
      endured within it. Peters spoke little, and I knew not what to
      think of his apathy. Nu-Nu breathed, and no more. _March 9th._-The whole ashy material fell now continually around
      us, and in vast quantities. The range of vapor to the southward
      had arisen prodigiously in the horizon, and began to assume more
      distinctness of form.