oint of good looks there
wasn't much to make one jealous of the other, though maybe the black
damsels of their own country have a different opinion from ours on the
subject. One evening we were going down the Sheba river, which was
pretty broad you mind, sir. The wind was light, and the water as smooth
as glass. We had been on somewhat short commons for a month or two, for
the slave-dealers prevented the people when they could from bringing off
fresh provisions. Suddenly the lookout from the masthead, who had been
in a South Sea whaler, shouted out--

"`A turtle, floating down stream, sir.'

"The commander asked Dan Ropeyarn if he could catch the turtle.

"`Oh, yes, sare; I do dat same,' he answered, and calling Tom Saucepan
he lowered his canoe, when taking a harpoon and a long line they shoved
off. Dan, as Tom paddled him along, made the end of the line fast to
the harpoon, but not to the canoe, for he knew well enough that if the
turtle was to give but one pull, unless the line was directly over the
bows, the canoe would be capsized in a moment. Away he went, and we all
watched him eagerly from the deck, our mouths watering with the thoughts
of the turtle soup we hoped to get for dinner next day.

"Dan was too wise to let the turtle know that he was coming, so he made
Tom paddle up cautiously astern of the creature, while he stood in the
bows with his harpoon raised in his hand, ready to strike. Not one of
us could have stood upright in such a cranky sort of concern as she was;
if we had tried it, we should have gone over in a moment; still, as we
looked at Dan, so steadily he stood, we might have fancied that his feet
were planted on firm ground. Some of us thought he would miss the
turtle after all, but we were wrong. Away flew the harpoon right into
the creature's back. It did not stop quiet after this, but off it
started, running out the line, which Dan had coiled away at the bottom
of the canoe, like lightning. Somehow or other, however, the line
caught Dan's leg, and in an instant whisked him overboard and capsized
the canoe. Away he was dragged, leaving the canoe astern; he did not
let go of the rope though, not he, but catching the end he took it in
his teeth, grinning tremendously, passing it as he did so between his
legs. He must have found that wet rope a pretty hard saddle, I have a
notion, as he had nothing on in the way of trowsers. Now up the stream
he paddled with his hands, just as c