FBOM LONDON TO TAMATAYE. 
9 
falls upon the deck, where he is at once eagerly 
inspected, the ever-changing hues of his gleaming 
skin or fins duly admired, and then, alas! he 
descends to the kitchen, to reappear at breakfast 
next morning as a dainty and not unwelcome 
addition to the ordinary fare of the cabin table. 
We were tempted once, when delayed in the region 
of perpetual calms, to man a boat, and, armed with 
harpoon and rifle, the captain in command, and the 
bishop, a keen sportsman by the way, and a splen¬ 
did shot, at the helm, the rest of us toiling at the, 
on that occasion certainly, labouring oar, to ven¬ 
ture over what proved to be some miles of calm 
undulating sea, with a broiling sun overhead, on 
the trail of some huge black-looking objects which 
had attracted our attention early in the morning 
from the deck of the Sea Breeze, and had at once 
and effectually aroused all the hunting and harry¬ 
ing propensities of our English natures. The 
uncertainty as to the precise nature of the game 
we were pursuing, of course added zest to the 
chase; and we were breathless with excitement 
and rowing when we at length drew near to the 
spot which was to be the scene, we all felt con¬ 
vinced, of no uncertain victory on our parts. 
But a silence, as intense as it was eloquent, 
fell upon us as the uplifted harpoon and the 
strong arm of one of the best of captains and 
truest of men were arrested in mid-air; the epis- 
