It is of volcanic origin, and is in the form of a perfect
sugar-loaf, 2,600 feet high, rising out of the sea, exactly as I had
expected the Peak of Teneriffe to appear. I should like to have landed
on the islands Agrigan or Tinian, so as to see the interesting remains
left by the ancient inhabitants. Some people say that they resemble
Aztec remains; others, that they are like those of the more modern
Peruvians. All authorities, however, seem to agree that they are like
those on Easter Island, the south-east extremity of Polynesia, this
being the north-west.

[Illustration: Amateur Navigation]

We were close-hauled all day; the wind was strong, and the sea rough
and disagreeable.

_Tuesday, January 23rd_.--Still close-hauled, and still a heavy swell.
I felt very ill, and could scarcely move my head for neuralgia. The
galley boiler burst to-day, so we are now dependent on the one in the
forecastle. During the night we passed the Euphrosyne rock. It looks
like a ship in full sail, and abounds with turtle, fish, and
sea-elephants.

_Wednesday, January 24th_.--Very much colder, though we are only just
outside the tropics. The wind was rather freer, and we had a beautiful
moonlight night.

_Friday, January 26th_.--During the night the breeze freshened, and in
the morning increased to a gale. Steam was therefore let off. It has
been a miserable day; so cold, wet, and rough, that it was impossible
to do anything, or to sit anywhere, except on the floor.

About 9 p.m. I was sitting in the deck-house, when I heard a
tremendous crash, and, looking out, saw that the fore gig davits had
been carried away, taking with them a piece of the rail, stanchion,
and cavil. The gig was hanging from the after davits, one might say,
by a thread, splashing and dashing in and out of the water, and
crashing and splintering against the side of the yacht. All hands were
speedily on deck; and in spite of the risk they ran, and of the
remonstrances of their comrades, two of the gig's crew jumped into her
with a rope, which they tried to pass round her. It was a difficult
task in that heavy sea, and many times they failed, and we constantly
feared that men, boat, and all were gone. Half a dozen of the crew
caught hold of the rigging outside, put their backs against the yacht,
and with legs outstretched tried to keep the gig off the ship's side,
while all the loose gear was floating away out of her. At last there
was a shout of triumph. The rop