h, after having made acquaintance
with New Georgia, distant eight hundred miles from the Falklands.
Thus the schooner would be in longitude on the route of the _Jane_.

On the 2nd of November this course brought us to the bearings which
certain navigators have assigned to the Aurora Islands, 30 deg. 15'
of latitude and 47 deg. 33' of east longitude.

Well, then, notwithstanding the affirmations--which I regarded with
suspicion--of the captains of the _Aurora_ in 1762, of the Saint
Miguel, in 1769, of the Pearl, in 1779, of the Prinicus and the
Dolores, in 1790, of the Atrevida, in 1794, which gave the bearings
of the three islands of the group, we did not perceive a single
indication of land in the whole of the space traversed by us. It was
the same with regard to the alleged islands of the conceited Glass.
Not a single little islet was to be seen in the position he had
indicated, although the look-out was most carefully kept. It is to
be feared that his Excellency the Governor of Tristan d'Acunha
will never see his name figuring in geographical nomenclature.

It was now the 6th of November. Our passage promised to be shorter
than that of the _Jane_. We had no need to hurry, however. Our
schooner would arrive before the gates of the iceberg wall would
be open. For three days the weather caused the working of the ship
to be unusually laborious, and the new crew behaved very well;
thereupon the boatswain congratulated them. Hurliguerly bore witness
that Hunt, for all his awkward and clumsy build, was in himself worth
three men.

"A famous recruit," said he.

"Yes, indeed," I replied, "and gained just at the last
moment."

"Very true, Mr. Jeorling! But what a face and head he has, that
Hunt!"

"I have often met Americans like him in the regions of the Far
West," I answered, "and I should not be surprised if this man
had Indian blood in his veins. Do you ever talk with Hunt?"

"Very seldom, Mr. Jeorling. He keeps himself to himself, and away
from everybody. And yet, it is not for want of mouth. I never saw
anything like his! And his hands! Have you seen his hands? Be on
your guard, Mr. Jeorling, if ever he wants to shake hands with
you."

"Fortunately, boatswain, Hunt does not seem to be quarrelsome. He
appears to be a quiet man who does not abuse his strength."

"No--except when he is setting a halyard. Then I am always afraid
the pulley will come down and the yard with it."

Hunt certainly was a strange be