e, the animal
raised itself on its fore-flappers, snarling and emitting a hollow roar
which startled everybody near, causing them to jump away, and give it a
wide berth; while at the same time it erected its nose so that it stood
out quite stiff, more than a foot long, and, opening its mouth, it
exposed the bright scarlet palate and gullet, from the bottom of which
its hoarse bellow proceeded. Karl, however, was not frightened by the
sea-elephant's rage, but with a single swinging blow from his harpoon on
the snout stretched it lifeless on the ground, when all were better able
to appreciate its enormous size. Its girth alone exceeded sixteen feet,
and the animal appeared all the more imposing when dead than alive.

The Norwegian sailor cut out the tongue, telling Mr Meldrum that this
portion of the sea-elephant and the snout were considered great
delicacies by the whalers; but none of the party relished either,
although Snowball served up both at dinner in his most recherche
fashion. The flesh of the body, too, was of a blackish hue, and had an
oily taste about it, which made the sailors turn up their noses at it
and wish to fling it away; but this Mr Meldrum would not allow.

"We will probably be glad enough to get it bye and bye," he said; and he
then caused the despised seal "beef" to be cut up in pieces and salted
down in one of their spare casks in case of future need.

During the time Mr Meldrum had been taking stock of their stores,
before the coming of the sea-elephant--"to pay them an afternoon call,"
as Florry said--the carpenter, with a number of the hands working under
him, had been proceeding with the house-building operations; but he had
to stop at last, more from want of the proper timber wherewith to
complete the job than through the darkening of the afternoon on account
of the approach of night.

"I can't get along nohow," Ben explained to Mr Meldrum, who was now
regarded as the head of the party, and the one to look to in every
difficulty. "I'm at a standstill for planking, sir. I can manage the
roof part pretty well, by breaking up those old puncheons we brought
under the raft and using the staves for shingles; but the joists and
rafters bother me, sir."

"Well, we must hope to get some more to-morrow from the wreck," said Mr
Meldrum. "The ship cannot last much longer; but, recollect, we can't
get any ashore till she breaks up."

"Aye, aye, sir, I knows that," replied Ben. "Still, I hopes