Part 26 (2/2)

”No, we've nothing but the clothes we stand up in, except it s,” answered the stranger, who looked hard at the ht pull off, and that he and his chuood condition They told us that they had had abundance of goat's flesh and vegetables, as well as fruit, but that they had got tired of the life, and had had a quarrel with four rel Spaniards, who lived on another part of the island, whoht some day try to murder them

They both asked to take an oar, and, by the way they pulled, they showed that they were likely to be useful hands When we got on board the _Intrepid_, Mr Griffiths spoke very kindly to thelad to enter, their na to the crew

I took a liking froh he was perfectly uneducated, and could neither read nor write Sam also seemed an honest merry fellow He and the other Africans soon becae, whenever the weather perear,” which consists of the various tackles and ropes for securing the whales alongside when caught and taking off the blubber Then there was the gear of the various boats, and it would astonish anyone to see the enormous number of articles stoay in a whale-boat when she starts after a whale

Everything was now got ready, as ere in expectation every day of falling in hales, and the men were on the look-out fro thee had been profitless, and every one was out of spirits The captain, who still re the assurances of Dr cockle that he would recover, was so especially He seeloohts, and his whole ed It was sad to see hiether, turning his face round, as if he were picturing to hi ocean, the blue sky overhead, and the busy scene which the deck of his shi+p presented

I observed that Mr Griffiths never gave an order if he could help it while the blind captain was on deck The health of the latter, however, by degrees improved, the colour returned to his cheeks, and his voice, when he spoke, again had the ring in it which I had from the first remarked

Day after day, however, we sailed on without seeing a whale At length one day, soon after noon, the firstin his cabin, ere cheered by the cry from the masthead of--

”There she spouts! There she spouts!”

The loud tra of the er to engage in the expected chase

A the first who appeared was the captain, who ran up the coility as he had ever displayed

”Where ahere away?” he asked

The men pointed to ard, and to our surprise the captain turned his eyes in the sao in one of them”

Presently I saw a low, bush-like spout of white mist rise from the surface of the sea, not two miles off

”There she spouts! There she spouts!” shouted the captain, showing that he saw too

With wonderful rapidity, as everything was prepared, the boats were lowered The doctor had co, Captain Hawkins?” he asked, in an astonished tone

”In chase of those whales out there,” answered the captain; ”for, doctor, I can see them as well as you do”

Of this there could be no doubt Several at that instant appeared at various distances

The exciteiven the required stiht

I remembered the fruitless chase off Cape Horn, when the captain and those with him so nearly lost their lives, but this promised to be successful The captain's boat took the lead His aiet up to one of the monsters of the deep just as it returned to the surface for breathing, as it would be soain, and before that interval ed into its body

The captain soon took the lead; the men pulled as if their lives depended on it Before they were half a mile away a whale rose just ahead of the captain's boat Springing into the bows, he stood, harpoon in hand, ready to strike

Presently he was close up to the rasp, followed by three lances hurled in rapid succession The whale, feeling the pain, darted off Another boat came up, and a second harpoon was ed into its side