d the second boat with
ten armed men under the boatswain's orders, and let them station
themselves within a cable's length of the shore, so as to escort
us back. You understand?"

"Perfectly, captain."

"If we are not to be found, after you have done all in your power,
you will take command of the schooner, and bring her back to the
Falklands."

"I will do so."

The large boat was rapidly got ready. Eight men embarked in it,
including Martin Holt and Hunt, all armed with rifles, pistols, and
knives; the latter weapons were slung in their belts. They also
carried cartridge-pouches. I stepped forward and said,--

"Will you not allow me to accompany you, captain?"

"If you wish to do so, Mr. Jeorling."

I went to my cabin, took my gun--a repeating rifle--with ball and
powder, and rejoined Captain Len Guy, who had kept a place in the
stern of the boat for me. Our object was to discover the passage
through which Arthur Pym and Dirk Peters had crossed the reef on the
19th of January, 1828, in the _Jane's_ boat. For twenty minutes we
rowed along the reef, and then Hunt discovered the pass, which was
through a narrow cut in the rocks. Leaving two men in the boat, we
landed, and having gone through the winding gorge which gave access
to the crest of the coast, our little force, headed by Hunt, pushed
on towards the centre of the island. Captain Len Guy and myself
exchanged observations, as we walked, on the subject of this
country, which, as Arthur Pym declared, differed essentially from
every other land hitherto visited by human beings. We soon found
that Pym's description was trustworthy. The general colour of the
plains was black, as though the clay were made of lava-dust; nowhere
was anything white to be seen. At a hundred paces distance Hunt
began to run towards an enormous mass of rock, climbed on it with
great agility, and looked out overa wide extent of space like a man
who ought to recognize the place he is in, but does not.

"What is the matter with him?" asked Captain Len Guy, who was
observing Hunt attentively.

"I don't know what is the matter with him, captain. But, as you
are aware, everything about this man is odd: his ways are
inexplicable, and on certain sides of him he seems to belong to
those strange beings whom Arthur Pym asserts that he found on this
island. One would even say that--"

"That--" repeated the captain.

And then, without finishing my sentence, I said,--

"Captain, are you sur