SOUTH SEA 
crowded together as if loath to part with an atom of the 
heat, which we were very glad to get rid of. 
We again continued our course between various small 
islands, which appeared like an immense garden, inter- 
sected with beautiful lakes of a crystal clearness, ex- 
posing their sub-marine curiosities. As we continued 
our course, we very nearly came in contact with a beau- 
tiful paper-nautilus as it was sailing and rowing along, 
but we were not fortunate enough to get sufficiently 
near to catch it before it descended, being disturbed 
by the approach of the boats. We now made a sudden 
turn round one of the islands, and much to our sur- 
prise we came in contact with a canoe containing two 
men, who immediately jumped overboard, and dived 
to a considerable distance before they again appear- 
ed wishing to convince them that we were not un- 
friendly, we gave them chase, and in a short time 
we succeeded in getting them both into one of our 
boats. The poor fellows were dreadfully alarmed, and 
we could not succeed in quieting their uneasiness until 
we placed them again in their canoe, and motioned to 
them to go away, which they readily did, going slowly 
and fearfully at first, but when they got a sufficient 
distance, and knew that they could gain the shore 
before we could overtake them, even if we had wished 
to do so, they began using a kind of oar which they had 
with great energy, and seemed suddenly to possess new 
life. We found, on looking into their canoe, that they 
were fishermen, and had come out, no doubt, to pursue 
their avocations. We now once more commenced our 
