Symzonia: Voyage of Discovery

We were a week briskly engaged in carrying these arrangements into effect. Extensive buildings were erected of stone and wood, having a centre room, to which no external air could gain access, without passing through the flue of a stove. The store rooms were detached from the dwelling, that the stores might be saved in case of fire. A covered way quite around all the buildings, as well as from one to the other, was constructed, and the whole covered four feet thick on the sides and roof with the bog of the tussoc, timber and stone being placed on it to keep it from being forced off by high winds. Having thus prepared for the safety and comfort of my people, I gave Mr. Boneto written instructions how to proceed in all imaginable cases, but especially cautioned him against going on to the main land, lest he should be destroyed by the mammoth animal. Aware that there was a possibility that I might miscarry, and never get back to this place. I devoted a day to the performance of a necessary duty to my country, namely, taking possession of the country I had discovered, in the name and on behalf of the people of the United States of America. I first drew up a manifesto, setting forth, that I, Adam Seaborn, mariner, a citizen of the United States of America, did, on the 5th day of November, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and seventeen, first see and discover this southern continent, a part of which was between 78° and 84° south latitude, and stretching to the N. W., S. E., and S. W., beyond my knowledge; which land having never before been seen by any civilized people, and having been occupied for the full term of eighteen days by citizens of the said United States, whether it should prove to be in possession of any other people or not, provided they were not Christians, was and of right ought to be the sole property of the said people of the United States, by right of discovery and occupancy, according to the usages of Christian nations.