to trade with the
natives; but when he heard of what had occurred he resolved to steer for
a port farther south, and he told me that he was very grateful to us for
giving him warning of the danger which he otherwise would have run.

In the evening I saw my poor friend lashed up in a hammock, and
committed to his ocean grave.

All night long I was dreaming of him and of the dreadful scenes I had
witnessed.

The ship was the _Juno_. Her commander, Captain Knox, was a very
different sort of person to my late captain; and from his kind manner,
and the way he spoke to the officers and men, he seemed truly to act the
part of a father to his crew. The ship had been out a year and a half,
and it was expected she would remain another year in the Pacific.

Though I was anxious to get home, yet when the captain asked me to enter
on board, I was very glad to do so. Pearson continued to suffer
fearfully from his wounds. Whether the deed he had done preyed on his
mind, I cannot say; but a high fever coming on, he used to rave about
the savages, and the way he had blown them up. At the moment he
committed the deed I daresay he had persuaded himself that he was only
performing a justifiable act of vengeance. The day before we entered
the harbour to which we were bound he died, and poor Green did not long
survive him, so that I alone was left of all the crew of the ill-fated
_Fox_.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

A STRANGE DISCOVERY.

The captain of the _Juno_ took every precaution to prevent her being
surprised by the Indians. Boarding nettings were triced up round the
ship every night, and the watch on deck had arms ready at hand. None of
the natives were allowed to come on board, and only two or three canoes
were permitted alongside at a time. We judged by their manner, though
they were willing enough to trade, that they had already heard of what
had occurred to the northward.

Having got our wood and water on board, we again put to sea, cruising in
various parts of the ocean known to be frequented by whales. A bright
look-out was kept for their spouts as the monsters rose to the surface
to breathe. The instant a spout was seen all was life and animation on
board; the boats were lowered, generally two or three at a time, and
away they pulled to be ready to attack the whale as it again rose to the
surface. I remember, the first time I saw one of the monsters struck, I
shouted and jumped about the deck as eagerly as if I my