atured
denizens of the deep, and with their flesh replenish the stores of the
_Catamaran_; for repulsive as the brutes may appear to the eye, and
repugnant to the thoughts, they nevertheless,--that is, certain species
of them, and certain parts of these species,--afford excellent food:
such as an epicure,--to say nothing of a man half-famished,--may eat
with sufficient relish.

There could have been no difficulty in destroying any of the sharks so
late threatening to swallow Snowball, had the harpooner been able to get
within striking distance of them. But the slippery skin of the whale
deterred the sailor from trusting himself on that dangerous incline; and
he determined, therefore, to try elsewhere.

In the direction of the _cachalot's_ tail the descent was gradual.
Scarcely perceptible was its declination towards the water, upon which
lay the two great flukes, slightly sunk below the surface, and extending
on each side to a breadth of many yards.

There were several sharks playing around the tail of the _cachalot_.
They might come within the pitch of a harpoon. If not, the old whaleman
knew how to attract them within easy reach of that formidable weapon.

Directing Snowball to bring after him some of the pieces of blubber,--
which, in cutting out the harpoon, had been detached from the carcass,--
Ben proceeded towards the tail. Here and there as he advanced, with the
sharp edge of the harpoon blade; he cut out a number of holes in the
spongy skin, in order to give both himself and his follower a more sure
footing on the slimy surface.

At the point where he intended to take his stand,--close in by the
"crutch" of the _cachalot's_ tail-fin,--he made three excavations with
more care. At length, satisfied with his preparations, he stood, with
pointed harpoon, waiting for we of the sharks to come within striking
distance. They "fought shy" at first; but the old whaleman knew a way
of overcoming their shyness. It only required that "chunk" of blubber,
held in the hands of Snowball, to be thrown into the water, and
simultaneous with the plunge a score of sharks would be seen rushing,
open-mouthed, to seize upon it.

This in effect was precisely what transpired.

The blubber was dropped into the sea, close as possible to the carcass
of the whale,--the sharks came charging towards it,--nearly twenty of
them. The same number, however, did not go back as they had come; for
one of them, impaled by the harpoon of