224 Knocked Overboard. 



able little boat in consequence of a very deep false 

 keel, which had recently been put on, and also being 

 a boat very ill adapted for the service on which we 

 were employed, failed to get clear of the brute's 

 tail, which it had thrown up out of the water on 

 receiving the contents of our gun, and which, de- 

 scending with terrific violence, just caught the gun- 

 wale of our boat, knocking me over the stern. 

 Before coming to the surface I imagined the dingy 

 had been smashed to pieces, which would have been 

 rather a bad case for us, as the other boats were 

 some way off, and, also, fast to the fish ; and, no 

 loose boat being near us, and with the temperature 

 of the water only a few degrees above freezing 

 point, I don't think that I for one could have kept 

 up long, accoutred as I was in a heavy monkey 

 jacket and sea boots. However, on rising to the 

 surface, I had the satisfaction of seeing the dingy a 

 couple of boats' lengths off, and the doctor (who 

 had taken to the water, imagining that the tail was 

 coming right down upon us) and myself were soon 

 hauled in, none the worse for our ducking. If the 

 boat had been one foot nearer the fish she would 

 most assuredly have been dashed to pieces and we 

 should have all been killed before having time to 

 jump overboard. 



However, we ended in having our revenge on the 

 monster, though it was an hour and a half before 

 we succeeded in despatching it. Having no boat 



