PROaBESS OF THE "HUMPBACK" SEASON. 265 



though fully aware of the great danger of our position. 

 One upward rush of any of those ravening monsters, 

 happening to strike the frail shell of our boat, and a few 

 tleeting seconds would have sufficed for our obliteration 

 ae if we had never been. 



But the terrible night passed away, and once more we 

 saw the tender, irridescent light stream into that abode 

 of dread. As the day strengthened, we were able to see 

 what was going on below, and a grim vision it presented. 

 The water was literally alive with sharks of enormous size, 

 tearing with never-ceasing energy at the huge carcass 

 of the whale lying on the bottom, who had met his fate 

 in a singular but not unheard-of way. At that last 

 titanic effort of his he had rushed downward with such 

 terrific force that, striking his head on the bottom, he had 

 broken his neck. I felt very grieved that we had lost the 

 chance of securing him ; but it was perfectly certain that 

 before we could get help to raise him, all that would be 

 left on his skeleton would be quite valueless to us. So 

 with such patience as we could command we waited near 

 the entrance until the receding ebb made it possible for 

 us to emerge once more into the blessed light of day. I 

 was horrified at the haggard, careworn appearance of my 

 crew, who had all, excepting the two Kanakas, aged per- 

 ceptibly durmg that night of torment. But we lost no 

 time in getting back to the ship, where I fully exj)ected a 

 severe wigging for the scrape my luckless curiosity had 

 led me into. The captain, however, was very kind, ex- 

 pressing his pleasure at seeing us all safe back again, 

 although he warned me solemnly against similar investi- 

 gations in future. A hearty meal and a good rest did 

 wonders in removing the severe effects of our adventure, 

 so that by next morning we were all fit and ready for the 

 day's work again. 



