200 VOYAGE FROM INDIA TO SIAM AND MALACCA 



sea, because we were still at four degrees of longitude from the 

 Neckkebars, which was the nearest land. 



We continued our journey back. 



21. — The weather continued to be the same as yesterday. 



22. — My Sterna sfolida, which I thought to have killed last 

 night, had come to life again and had vomited a small Nautilus, 

 which was the most perfect that I had seen among' thousands. 

 The fleshy part of this shell was almost perfect, but more than 

 two-thirds of it had changed into a grass-green colour. I can't 

 decide whether this colour was common to all those that swim 

 in the open sea or only accidental in this one. 



The wind was to-day fairly strong from the west ; we had 

 little rain and were nine degrees and nine minute. We continued 

 our journey back. I stuffed the bird. 



23. — We had little wind and only a few showers. A very 

 large Squa'us Ccunintis followed our ship for a long time and had 

 four to six of his pilots with him. They sometimes swam under- 

 neath, sometimes above its head. Their colour was sky-blue, and 

 some were almost one foot long. Many things to eat were 

 thrown down, but it seemed to be suspicious, for though it flaired 

 them it refused to eat and so did the pilots. In the evening the 

 Karre Nicobar island could be seen from the mast in the south- 

 east; we were to-day on the nin'h degree and some thirty 

 minutes. 



2-4. — The weather was fine to-day and the wind moderate. 

 The Neckkebars were at our side to-day ; we were on the ninth 

 degree and nineteen minutes, lut so far from the afore-mentioned 

 i.-land that it could only be seen from the top of our mast. 



25. — Early this morning we saw another of the Nicobar 

 islands, called Katschin; it was a long, narrow strip of land with 

 high mountains, and at the distance it seemed to be divided along 

 the middle but from the top of the niast, one could see that it 

 was not so. When we w^ere nearest, we were at four German 

 miles distance. At midday we were eight degrees and some 

 forty minutes. The wind and weather were fine. 



2^. — To-day we still saw the mountain necks of the island 

 we passed yesterday. The wind grew more favourable and 

 strong-er, and we had only few small showers. At midday we 

 were eight degrees and twelve minutes. Our course was towards 

 east. Many things drifted past our ship as : Fucus Sargassum, etc. 



