IN THE PACIFIC. 237 



and in the water. We killed or wounded 

 several of these brutes, but they generally 

 managed to reach the water, and sank before 

 we could secure them. We made an example, 

 however, of one old rascal that we caught 

 asleep on the bank with his mouth open. 



G , a capital shot, first gave him a ball 



down his throat, which somewhat astonished 

 him, and before he had time to recover, we 

 landed and despatched him with several more 

 shots at point-blank range, besides digging a 

 long knife into him below his armour-plating; 

 at each stab he turned his head round and 

 snapped his jaws together with a horrid crash. 

 We left him apparently dead, and yet when 

 we passed the place the next morning, his 

 body had disappeared, having probably been 

 dragged away and devoured by his companions. 

 When night came on we lit a fire, and lay 

 down to sleep on the bank of the river ; but 

 what with the cold, the heavy dew, and the 

 mosquitoes, we had a wretched time of it, and 

 were not sorry when the approach of day 



