312 THE GREAT UNKNOWN. 



cigars, and getting our tackle ready for the approaching 

 campaign against the sahnon, when we were surprised by 

 the sight of an immense shoal of grampuses, which 

 appeared in an unusual state of excitement, and which in 

 their gambols approached so close to our little craft, that 

 some of the party amused themselves by firing at them 

 with rifles ; at this time we were jogging on at about five 

 miles an hour, and must have been crossing Margaret's 

 Bay. I merely conjecture where we were, as we had not 

 seen land since a short time after leaving Pennant Bay. 

 Our attention was presently diverted from the whales and 

 ' such small deer,' by an exclamation from Dowling, our 

 man-of-war's-man, who was sitting to leeward, of, ' 

 sirs, look here ! ' We were started into a ready compliance, 

 and saw an object which banished all other thoughts, save 

 wonder and surprise. 



"At the distance of from a hundred and fifty to two 

 hundred yards on our starboard bow, we saw the head 

 and neck of some denizen of the deej), precisely like those 

 of a common snake, in the act of swimming, the head so 

 far elevated and thrown forward by the curve of the neck, 

 as to enable us to see the water under and beyond it. 

 The creature rapidly passed, leaving a regular wake, from 

 the commencement of which, to the fore part, which was 

 out of water, we judged its length to be about eighty feet ; 

 and this within, rather than beyond the mark. We were, 

 of course, all taken aback at the sight, and, with staring 

 eyes and in speechless wonder, stood gazing at it for full 

 half a minute. There could be no mistake, no delusion, 



