l of fire. I
retreated to the companion-hatch to watch his motions. His first act was
to return to the quarter-deck and roll himself in the oil, with an idea
of quenching the flames, but this added fuel to them, and the animal
roaring in his agony at last jumped into the sea and disappeared.

Having thus rid myself of my intruder I returned to my cooking. The ship
was now clear of ice, the weather was warm, the bodies of my shipmates
emitted a fetid smell, but I saw and smelt nothing; all that I observed
was that the barley which had been scattered on the deck by the fowls,
had sprung up about the decks, and I congratulated myself upon the
variety it would give to my culinary pursuits. I continued to cook, to
eat, and to sleep as before, when a circumstance occurred, which put an
end to all my culinary madness. One night I found the water washing by
the side of my standing bed-place in the cabin, and jumping out in alarm
to ascertain the cause, I plunged over head and ears. The fact was, that
the ship, when lifted by the ice, had sprung a leak which had gradually
filled her without my perceiving it. My fear of drowning was so great,
that I ran into the very danger which I would have avoided. I darted out
of the cabin windows into the sea, whereas had I gone upon deck I should
have been safe: for a little reflection might have told me that a vessel
laden with oil could not have sunk--but reflection came too late, and
benumbed with the coldness of the waters, I could have struggled but a
few seconds more, when I suddenly came in contact with a spar somewhat
bigger than a boat's mast. I seized it to support myself, and was
surprised at finding it jerked from me occasionally; as if there was
somebody else who had hold of it, and who wished to force me to let it
go; but it was quite dark, and I could distinguish nothing. I clung to
it until daylight appeared, when what was my horror to perceive an
enormous shark close to me. I nearly let go my hold and sunk, so
paralysed was I with fear, I anticipated every moment to feel his teeth
crushing me in half, and I shut my eyes that I might not add to the
horrors of my death by being a witness to the means. Some minutes had
elapsed, which appeared to me as so many hours, when surprised at being
still alive, I ventured to open my eyes. The shark was still at the same
distance from me, and on examination I perceived that the boat's mast or
spar, to which I was clinging, had been passe