r, and to extend all round the horizon to leeward.
I immediately ordered the lead to be hove, expecting to find that some
current or other had been sweeping us towards some unknown island not
down in the charts, but to the surprise of all of us there was no
bottom. I now cracked on all sail I could set, to beat out of the bay,
as it seemed to be, but the wind was so light that we made but little
way, and as I looked out I saw the line gradually encircling us more and
more, so that I must own I was altogether puzzled to know what it was.

"The whale and the boats were now about a mile off, when suddenly the
island seemed to rise close to them, forming a considerable elevation.
While we were watching what next would happen, the boats cast off their
tow lines, and pulled like mad towards us. They had good reason to pull
hard, I can assure you, for one end of what we took to be the island
rose right out of the water, full fifty feet at least, and quickly
approaching the whale, the mighty fish disappeared under it, and
immediately the elevation sank to its former level. Directly after
this, one of the crew said he saw a large fire at the end of the island,
but when I took my glass, I ascertained that it was nothing more nor
less than an immense eye. To give an idea of its size, I may state,
with due care not to exaggerate, that I saw fish, of the size of full
grown cod, swimming about in the lower lid. A short examination
convinced me that what I saw was the head of some mighty marine monster,
nothing more nor less than the great sea-serpent, and that the elevation
I had seen was his upper jaw. The crews of the boats confirmed the
opinion when they came on board, for they stated that when they were
close to what they believed was the end of a coral island, they saw it
open slowly, while formidable rows of teeth, every one of the size of a
heavy gun, and a tongue twice as large as a whale appeared. When they
saw this they thought it time to cut and run; nor could I blame them,
for had they not, they would have been swallowed with the whale.

"Some slight idea may be formed of the size of the monster from its
having swallowed a white sperm whale whole, with half a dozen harpoons
in her, and yet it did not even blink its eyes. I confess that I did
not like the position we were in, for, as I had no doubt that it must
possess a very considerable appetite, I thought it just possible that it
might take it into its head to s