ting on
the rail alone, steadfastly gazing down into the star-besprent waters
beneath him, as if coveting their unruffled peace.

Two-thirds of our stay in the islands had passed away, when, for a
wonder, the captain took it into his head to go up to the chief village
one morning. So he retained me on board, while the other three boats
left for the day's cruise as usual. One of the mate's crew was sick, and
to replace him he took Abner out of my boat. Away they went; and shortly
after breakfast-time I lowered, received the captain on board, and
we started for the capital. Upon our arrival there we interviewed the
chief, a stout, pleasant-looking man of about fifty, who was evidently
held in great respect by the natives, and had a chat with the white
Wesleyan missionary in charge of the station. About two p.m., after
the captain's business was over, we were returning under sail, when we
suddenly caught sight of two of our boats heading in towards one of the
islands. We helped her with the paddles to get up to them, seeing as we
neared them the two long fins of a whale close ahead of one of them.
As we gazed breathlessly at the exciting scene, we saw the boat rush in
between the two flippers, the harpooner at the same time darting an iron
straight down. There was a whirl in the waters, and quick as thought
the vast flukes of the whale rose in the air, recurving with a sidelong
sweep as of some gigantic scythe. The blow shore off the bow of the
attacking boat as if it had been an egg-shell.

At the same moment the mate stooped, picked up the tow-line from its
turn round the logger-head, and threw it forward from him. He must have
unconsciously given a twist to his hand, for the line fell in a kink
round Abner's neck just as the whale went down with a rush. Struggling,
clutching at the fatal noose, the hapless man went flying out through
the incoming sea, and in one second was lost to sight for ever. Too
late, the harpooner cut the line which attached the wreck to the
retreating animal, leaving the boat free, but gunwale under. We
instantly hauled alongside of the wreck and transferred her crew, all
dazed and horror-stricken at the awful death of their late comrade.

I saw the tears trickle down the rugged, mahogany-coloured face of the
captain, and honoured him for it, but there was little time to waste in
vain regrets. It was necessary to save the boat, if possible, as we were
getting short of boat-repairing material; c