42 THE CRUISE OF THE "CACHALOT:' 



we felt the chill sooner than the better-nourished mate 

 and harpooner, who looked rather scornfully at our blue 

 faces and chattering teeth. 



In spite of all assurances to the contrary, I have 

 not the least doubt in my own mind that a very little 

 longer would have relieved us of all our burdens finally. 

 Because the heave of the sea had so loosened the 

 shattered planks upon which we stood that they were 

 on the verge of falling all asunder. Had they done so 

 we must have drowned, for we were cramped and stiff 

 with cold and our constrained position. However, 

 unknown to us, a bright look-out upon our movements 

 had been kept from the crow's-nest the whole time. We 

 should have been relieved long before, but that the 

 whale killed by the second mate was being secured, and 

 another boat, the fourth mate's, being picked up, 

 having a hole in her bilge you could put your head 

 through. With all these hindrances, especially securing 

 the whale, we were fortunate to be rescued as soon as 

 we were, since it is well known that whales are of much 

 higher commercial value than men. 



However, help came at last, and we were hauled 

 alongside. Long exposure had weakened us to such an 

 extent that it was necessary to hoist us on board, 

 especially the mate, whose " sudden stop," when he 

 returned to us after his little aerial excursion, had 

 shaken his sturdy frame considerably, a state of body 

 which the subsequent soaking had by no means im- 

 proved. In my innocence I imagined that we should 

 be commiserated for our misfortunes by Captain Slocum, 

 and certainly be relieved from further duties until we 

 were a little recovered from the rough treatment we had 

 just undergone. But I never made a greater mistake. 



