e grief he exhibited when he saw us working away at our boat and
making preparations for our departure. Tears fell from his eyes and
trickled down his shaggy breast, his bosom heaved with sighs, and he
hung his paws as he stood before us, watching our proceedings in the
most sentimental manner.

"When at length all was ready to make sail, we had to secure him, as we
had before done, to the beam in our hut, lest he should scramble into
our boat and insist on accompanying us. We knew that with his usual
sagacity he could very easily release himself after we were gone. We
then hurried on board, shoved off, and stood out to sea. We soon found
that we had numberless dangers to encounter. Sometimes huge whales rose
up and nearly capsized us, and there was always a terrible risk of
running foul of icebergs. One day, indeed, there was a thick fog, and
we were standing on with a fair breeze, when the bow of the boat came
with such terrific impetus against one that she slid right up it for
thirty feet at least, and did not stop till she sank into a deep hollow
from which it seemed impossible to extricate her. There we were, like
three young birds in a nest, floating about at the mercy of the winds
and waves. My companions were in despair, but I cheered their spirits
by assuring them that all would come right at last, as I knew it would,
though, as it turned out, not in the way I expected.

"Leaving my companions to cut a channel in the ice to launch our boat, I
ascended to a higher part of the berg to look out for a sail, hoping
that some whaler might be in the neighbourhood. While there I heard a
cry of despair, and to my dismay I beheld our boat rapidly gliding down
the iceberg. She reached the water in safety, and with canvas set,
which it was, I own, lubberly to have allowed, she sailed off before the
wind, leaving us on our treacherous island.

"Fortunately my companions had taken the fish-hooks and other things out
of the boat to lighten her or we might have perished; but we managed
with the hooks to catch an abundance of fish to supply our wants. We
had to eat them raw, but that was nothing. Why, once upon a time, I
paid a visit to one of the South Sea Islands, where the king, queen, and
all the court devour live fish; and, what is more, they are taught when
brought up to table to jump down the throats of their majesties of their
own accord, so as to give them as little trouble as possible. It is one
of the