His CAPTORS. 217 



Ship Settling. Malice aforethought. Fate of Survivors. 



self, and started with great speed directly 

 across the vessel's . course to the windward. 

 Mean time the hands on board discovered the 

 ship to be gradually settling down at the bows, 

 and the pumps were to be rigged. While 

 working at them, one of the men cried out, 

 " God have mercy ! he comes again !" 



The whale had turned al about one hundred 

 rod* from the ship, and was making for her 

 with double his former speed, his pathway 

 white with foam. Rushing head on, he struck 

 her again at the bow, and the tremendous blow 

 stove her in. The whale dived under again 

 and disappeared, and the ship foundered in ten 

 minutes from the first collision. 



After incredible hardships and sufferings in 

 their open boats, on the 20th of December the 

 survivors of this catastrophe reached the low 

 island called Ducies, in latitude twenty-four 

 degrees forty minutes south, longitude one 

 hundred and twenty-four degrees forty minutes 

 west. It was a mere sand-bank, nearly bar- 

 ren, which supplied them only with water and 

 sea-fowl. On this uninhabited island, dreary 

 as it was, three of the men chose to remain, 

 rather than again commit themselves to the 



