t
His eyes were small and blue, with a large black sight in the middle,
and rather of an oval than round make. He had a long snout like a boar,
and vast teeth. Thus having surveyed him near half an hour living, I
made him rise up once more and shot him in the breast. He fell, and
giving a loud howl, or groan, expired.

I had then time to see what else I had caught; and turning over the net,
found a few of the same fish I had taken before, and some others of a
flat-tish make, and one little lump of flesh unformed; which last, by
all I could make of it, seemed to be either a spawn or young one of that
I had shot.

The great creature was so heavy, I was afraid I must have cut him in
pieces to get him to the boat; but with much ado, having stowed the
rest, I tumbled him on board. I then filled my water-cask and rowed
homewards. Being got to land, I was obliged to bring down my cart, to
carry my great beast-fish, as I termed him, up to the grotto. When I had
got him thither, I had a notion of first tasting, and then, if I liked
his flesh, of salting him down and drying him; so, having flayed him and
taken out the guts and entrails, I boiled a piece of him; but it made
such a blaze that most of the fat ran into the fire, and the flesh
proved so dry and rank that I could no ways endure it.

I then began to be sorry I had taken so much pains for no profit, and
had endangered my net into the bargain (for that had got a crack or two
in the scuffle), and was thinking to throw away my large but worthless
acquisition.

However, as I was now prone to weighing all things, before I threw it
away I resolved to consider a little; whereupon I changed my mind.
Says I, Here is a good warm skin, which, when dry, will make me a rare
cushion. Again, I have for a long while had no light beside that of the
day; but now as this beast's fat makes such a blaze in the fire, and
issues in so great a quantity from such a small piece as I broiled, why
may not I boil a good tallow or oil out of it? and if I can, I have not
made so bad a hand of my time as I thought for.

In short, I went immediately to work upon this subject (for I never let
a project cool after I had once started it), and boiled as much of the
flesh as the kettle would hold, and letting it stand to cool, I found
it turned out very good oil for burning; though I confess I thought it
would rather have made tallow. This success quickened my industry; and I
repeated the operation til