of longitude 74 W.), depends the habitability of this large island, the
Island of Hili-li (here represented in about longitude 75 E.), and many
other islands which stretch out in the same direction from this enormous
active surface-crater. I say that upon such conditions depends the
habitability of these islands, and so I believe; but there is another
cause for their greater than tropical warmth: If you will glance here on
the right of this map, in the midst of the mountain zone you will see
represented a bay, which, winding among mountains, makes its way very
close to the zone of hot lava--in fact, is divided from it by little
more than the ring of lava-blocks, rock-salt, and animal remains, which
at this point is narrowed to a width of about two miles. The temperature
of the water of this bay at its inner extremity is probably about 180
F.--say 32 below the boiling-point of distilled water; and it flows in a
steady current past the Island of Hili-li. This bay is undoubtedly fed
from the opposite side of the great crater, and its supply flows for
miles in contact with hot lava. It is probable that this extremely warm
water current greatly assists the hot-air current in creating the
super-tropical climate of Hili-li.

"And now, as I have in part satisfied your curiosity, and as I am
somewhat exhausted with my two days' and nights' experience with Peters,
I know you will permit me to rest at so suitable a stopping-point.
To-morrow evening I will take up the story of Dirk Peters where it joins
the sudden break in Pym's journal, and will carry you along to the time
when the inhabitants of Hili-li thought that the atmosphere of some
other land would be more conducive to Peters' longevity and health, as
well as to their own tranquillity. And I assure your Sultanship, that
the story I shall relate to you to-morrow night will be more interesting
than the dry physical facts which I have this evening imparted, and
which it seemed best that you should know before hearing in consecutive