iate 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. Th