432 HIS FATE NEARLY SEALED. 



well, but thy boat still bettor.' Afterwards ho crept, 

 riflo in hand, within range of the Phoca, which sur- 

 passed in size any he had before seen, and lodged a bullet 

 in its body. The wounded animal, apparently in the 

 agonies of death, rolled down the face of the rock to the 

 shelf below. The old man, with the agility of youth, 

 hastened back to his boat, unmoored her, and leaving his 

 gun on the rock, proceeded to the spot where the seal was 

 lying. On his arrival there he found to his great surprise 

 that the animal had partially recovered, and was in the 

 very act of plunging into the water ; but sufficient time 

 was still left him to drive his spear deep into its body. 

 The next instant, and quickened, as it appeared, by the 

 anguish of its fresh wound, the seal, with the rapidity of 

 an arrow, dived down, and directed its course seaward. 

 Before Persson could properly collect his senses, 1 he line, 

 fastened, as said, to the stem of the boat, was ran out, 

 and the craft in full career for the open sea, and as it was 

 very small, it was consequently in momentary dan -or of 

 being drawn under water. Persson had therefore no other 

 alternative than to throw himself into the ' stern sheets,' 

 whereby she was kept on something like an even keel. 

 The voyage might be likened to that of a ' dragon ship ' 

 (as the galleys of the famous Vikingar, or sea-kings, were 

 called), 'quick and straight out to sea.' The water on 

 both sides of the skiff was white with foam, and the 

 waves threatened every instant to swallow her up. 

 Already she was a (Swedish) mile in the open sea, 

 and Persson, in his fright, imagined she was ap- 

 proach ing Roval, on the opposite coast. Most gladly 

 would he have severed the line, and thus lost both 

 seal and harpoon, had he not feared that, tin- instant 

 he left his place in the aft part of the boat, she would 

 have "one to the bottom. At length, however, the seal 



S 



s,>mc\vhat slackened its speed, and now that the danger of 



