We had not made, however, more than fifty yards from the shore
      before we became sufficiently calm to perceive the great
      oversight of which we had been guilty in leaving the other canoe
      in the power of the savages, who, by this time, were not more
      than twice as far from the beach as ourselves, and were rapidly
      advancing to the pursuit. No time was now to be lost. Our hope
      was, at best, a forlorn one, but we had none other. It was very
      doubtful whether, with the utmost exertion, we could get back in
      time to anticipate them in taking possession of the canoe; but
      yet there was a chance that we could. We might save ourselves if
      we succeeded, while not to make the attempt was to resign
      ourselves to inevitable butchery. The canoe was modelled with the bow and stern alike, and, in
      place of turning it around, we merely changed our position in
      paddling. As soon as the savages perceived this they redoubled
      their yells, as well as their speed, and approached with
      inconceivable rapidity. We pulled, however, with all the energy
      of desperation, and arrived at the contested point before more
      than one of the natives had attained it. This man paid dearly for
      his superior agility, Peters shooting him through the head with a
      pistol as he approached the shore. The foremost among the rest of
      his party were probably some twenty or thirty paces distant as we
      seized upon the canoe. We at first endeavored to pull her into
      the deep water, beyond the reach of the savages, but, finding her
      too firmly aground, and there being no time to spare, Peters,
      with one or two heavy strokes from the butt of the musket,
      succeeded in dashing out a large portion of the bow and of one
      side. We then pushed off. Two of the natives by this time had got
      hold of our boat, obstinately refusing to let go, until we were
      forced to despatch them with our knives. We were now clear off,
      and making great way out to sea. The main body of the savages,
      upon reaching the broken canoe, set up the most tremendous yell
      of rage and disappointment conceivable. In truth, from everything
      I could see of these wretches, they appeared to be the most
      wicked, hypocritical, vindictive, bloodthirsty, and altogether
      fiendish race of men upon the face of the globe. It is clear we
      should have had no mercy had we fallen into their hands. They
      made a mad attempt at following us in the fractured canoe, but,
      finding it useless, again vented their rage in a series of
      hideous vociferations, and rushed up into the hills. We were thus relieved from immediate danger, but our situation
      was still sufficiently gloomy. We knew that four canoes of the
      kind we had were at one time in the possession of the savages,
      and were not aware of the fact (afterward ascertained from our
      captive) that two of these had been blown to pieces in the
      explosion of the _Jane Guy._We calculated, therefore, upon being
      yet pursued, as soon as our enemies could get round to the bay
      (distant about three miles) where the boats were usually laid up. Fearing this, we made every exertion to leave the island behind
      us, and went rapidly through the water, forcing the prisoner to
      take a paddle. In about half an hour, when we had gained probably
      five or six miles to the southward, a large fleet of the
      flat-bottomed canoes or rafts were seen to emerge from the bay
      evidently with the design of pursuit. Presently they put back,
      despairing to overtake us. CHAPTER 25


      We now found ourselves in the wide and desolate Antarctic Ocean,
      in a latitude exceeding eighty-four degrees, in a frail canoe,
      and with no provision but the three turtles. The long polar
      winter, too, could not be considered as far distant, and it
      became necessary that we should deliberate well upon the course
      to be pursued. There were six or seven islands in sight belonging
      to the same group, and distant from each other about five or six
      leagues; but upon neither of these had we any intention to
      venture. In coming from the northward in the _Jane Guy_ we had
      been gradually leaving behind us the severest regions of
      ice—this, however little it maybe in accordance with the
      generally received notions respecting the Antarctic, was a
      fact—experience would not permit us to deny. To attempt,
      therefore, getting back would be folly—especially at so late a
      period of the season. Only one course seemed to be left open for
      hope. We resolved to steer boldly to the southward, where there
      was at least a probability of discovering other lands, and more
      than a probability of finding a still milder climate. So far we had found the Antarctic, like the Arctic Ocean,
      peculiarly free from violent storms or immoderately rough water;
      but our canoe was, at best, of frail structure, although large,
      and we set busily to work with a view of rendering her as safe as
      the limited means in our possession would admit. The body of the
      boat was of no better material than bark—the bark of a tree
      unknown. The ribs were of a tough osier, well adapted to the
      purpose for which it was used. We had fifty feet room from stem
      to stern, from four to six in breadth, and in depth throughout
      four feet and a half-the boats thus differing vastly in shape
      from those of any other inhabitants of the Southern Ocean with
      whom civilized nations are acquainted. We never did believe them
      the workmanship of the ignorant islanders who owned them; and
      some days after this period discovered, by questioning our
      captive, that they were in fact made by the natives of a group to
      the southwest of the country where we found them, having fallen
      accidentally into the hands of our barbarians. What we could do
      for the security of our boat was very little indeed. Several wide
      rents were discovered near both ends, and these we contrived to
      patch up with pieces of woollen jacket. With the help of the
      superfluous paddles, of which there were a great many, we erected
      a kind of framework about the bow, so as to break the force of
      any seas which might threaten to fill us in that quarter. We also
      set up two paddle-blades for masts, placing them opposite each
      other, one by each gunwale, thus saving the necessity of a yard. To these masts we attached a sail made of our shirts-doing this
      with some difficulty, as here we could get no assistance from our
      prisoner whatever, although he had been willing enough to labor
      in all the other operations. The sight of the linen seemed to
      affect him in a very singular manner.