2o; 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 



A LIFE ON THE OCEAN WAVE. 



To be one of the crew was evidently distasteful to 

 all ; even Sunday winced when I told him to come 

 along. The most intelligent of the Mantatees I 

 selected as his companion, but no sooner did he see 

 that my decision was come to, than off he bolted, 

 with the whole hue and cry in pursuit. Soon he was 

 brought back, shoved on board, and immediately 

 afterwards there was no help for him but to grin and 

 bear it, or swim. A pole and long scull were the im- 

 plements I had to steer with, and they answered all 

 purposes, although the bottom was exceedingly soft. 

 The expression upon the countenances of the 

 crew, after a little experience, told plainly that they 

 thought that they were having a "good time," but soon 

 that was dissipated, when a hippopotamus rose close 

 by, and took an exceedingly inquisitive, and impudent 

 stare at us. I thought the brute meaned mischief, 

 so I gave him a No. 12 bullet within two inches of 

 the orifice of the ear. A little more struggling under- 

 neath the surface would almost have sent the river out 

 of its bed ; in truth, it swamped the raft sufficiently 

 by the wash, to have made it appropriate to sing "A 

 life on the ocean wave," but soon all was still again, 



