For eight days this strange voyage continued, favoured by a mild wind from the north, in permanent daylight, on a sea without a fragment of ice, indeed, owing to the high and even temperature of the water, no ice had been seen since the parallel of Bennet Island.
Then it was that Arthur Pym and Dirk Peters entered upon a region of novelty and wonder.

Above the horizon line rose a broad bar of light grey vapour, striped with long luminous rays, such as are projected by the polar aurora.

A very strong current came to the aid of the breeze.

The boat sailed rapidly upon a liquid surface of milky aspect, exceedingly hot, and apparently agitated from beneath.

A fine white ash-dust began to fall, and this increased the terror of Nu-Nu, whose lips trembled over his two rows of black ivory.
On the 9th of March this rain of ashes fell in redoubled volume, and the temperature of the water rose so high that the hand could no longer bear it.