THE GIANTS OF LABRADOR. 151 



So it was arranged. The crew was summoned on 

 deck, and were ordered to get ready to start " upon 

 urgent business." 



" Get ready V cried the supercargo, '' why, we've 

 no provisions on board." 



"No matter; it's only a three days' job, and 

 we've enough for that. Get new bread at daybreak 

 and whatever else we want. Come, lads, to work 

 and with a will." 



At break of day the Jackson was in the river, 

 dropping down slowly with the tide. The second 

 captain was on shore getting the necessary papers 

 for the excursion, and by ten o'clock he came on 

 board in a boat which he had taken at the Battery, 

 followed by your humble servant, who had deter- 

 mined to seize so favourable an occasion for seeing 

 a little whale-fishing. 



The wind was favourable to us, for it blew a fair 

 sou'-west as we passed the Quarantine and Fort 

 Hamilton. Beyond Sandy Hook there was a sea 

 running, and an hour afterwards we were sweeping 

 the end of Long Island with our glasses, in search 

 of the monster which was supposed to be stranded. 



At last, on the end of a kind of sandy cape at the 

 extreme point of the island, we could see a black 

 speck lying between two little islets. We were 

 looking at this kind of ink-spot upon the sea, when 

 suddenly a sailor up in the shrouds sang out with a 

 stentorian voice the words which stir the heart of 



