January18-Thismorning{*4}wecontinuedtothesouthward，withthesamepleasantweatherasbefore。Theseawasentirelysmooth，theairtolerablywarmandfromthenortheast，thetemperatureofthewaterfifty-three。Wenowagaingotoursounding-gearinorder，and，withahundredandfiftyfathomsofline，foundthecurrentsettingtowardthepoleattherateofamileanhour。Thisconstanttendencytothesouthward，bothinthewindandcurrent，causedsomedegreeofspeculation，andevenofalarm，indifferentquartersoftheschooner，andIsawdistinctlythatnolittleimpressionhadbeenmadeuponthemindofCaptainGuy。Hewasexceedinglysensitivetoridicule，however，andIfinallysucceededinlaughinghimoutofhisapprehensions。Thevariationwasnowverytrivial。Inthecourseofthedaywesawseverallargewhalesoftherightspecies，andinnumerableflightsofthealbatrosspassedoverthevessel。Wealsopickedupabush，fullofredberries，likethoseofthehawthorn，andthecarcassofasingular-lookingland-animal。
Itwasthreefeetinlength，andbutsixinchesinheight，withfourveryshortlegs，thefeetarmedwithlongclawsofabrilliantscarlet，andresemblingcoralinsubstance。Thebodywascoveredwithastraightsilkyhair，perfectlywhite。Thetailwaspeakedlikethatofarat，andaboutafootandahalflong。Theheadresembledacat’s，withtheexceptionoftheears-thesewerefloppedliketheearsofadog。Theteethwereofthesamebrilliantscarletastheclaws。
January19-To-day，beinginlatitude83degrees20’，longitude43degrees5’W。theseabeingofanextraordinarilydarkcolour，weagainsawlandfromthemasthead，and，uponacloserscrutiny，foundittobeoneofagroupofverylargeislands。Theshorewasprecipitous，andtheinteriorseemedtobewellwooded，acircumstancewhichoccasionedusgreatjoy。Inaboutfourhoursfromourfirstdiscoveringthelandwecametoanchorintenfathoms，sandybottom，aleaguefromthecoast，asahighsurf，withstrongrippleshereandthere，renderedanearerapproachofdoubtfulexpediency。Thetwolargestboatswerenoworderedout，andaparty，wellarmedamongwhomwerePetersandmyself，proceededtolookforanopeninginthereefwhichappearedtoencircletheisland。Aftersearchingaboutforsometime，wediscoveredaninlet，whichwewereentering，whenwesawfourlargecanoesputofffromtheshore，filledwithmenwhoseemedtobewellarmed。Wewaitedforthemtocomeup，and，astheymovedwithgreatrapidity，theyweresoonwithinhail。CaptainGuynowheldupawhitehandkerchiefonthebladeofanoar，whenthestrangersmadeafullstop，andcommencedaloudjabberingallatonce，intermingledwithoccasionalshouts，inwhichwecoulddistinguishthewordsAnamoo-moo！andLama-Lama！Theycontinuedthisforatleasthalfanhour，duringwhichwehadagoodopportunityofobservingtheirappearance。
Inthefourcanoes，whichmighthavebeenfiftyfeetlongandfivebroad，therewereahundredandtensavagesinall。TheywereabouttheordinarystatureofEuropeans，butofamoremuscularandbrawnyframe。Theircomplexionajetblack，withthickandlongwoollyhair。Theywereclothedinskinsofanunknownblackanimal，shaggyandsilky，andmadetofitthebodywithsomedegreeofskill，thehairbeinginside，exceptwhereturnedoutabouttheneck，wrists，andankles。Theirarmsconsistedprincipallyofclubs，ofadark，andapparentlyveryheavywood。Somespears，however，wereobservedamongthem，headedwithflint，andafewslings。Thebottomsofthecanoeswerefullofblackstonesaboutthesizeofalargeegg。
Whentheyhadconcludedtheirharangueforitwascleartheyintendedtheirjabberingforsuch，oneofthemwhoseemedtobethechiefstoodupintheprowofhiscanoe，andmadesignsforustobringourboatsalongsideofhim。Thishintwepretendednottounderstand，thinkingitthewiserplantomaintain，ifpossible，theintervalbetweenus，astheirnumbermorethanquadrupledourown。