time we caught sight of it from the deck. The
men on this gave a hearty cheer to show their satisfaction. Now the
light disappeared, now it came in sight again, as the boat rose on the
summit of a sea.

The ship was hove-to. Presently a faint hail was heard. We answered it
with a shout from our united voices. At length one boat could be
distinguished. Where was the other?

The captain's voice assured us that he was in the first. He was soon on
deck, and the boat was hoisted up. He looked pale and haggard, and much
annoyed at not having killed a whale. The other boat he said was not
far off.

We kept hove-to for her, fearing that if she did not soon appear she
might be swamped before she could be hoisted in, for as the wind and sea
were now rapidly rising every moment was of importance. At length she
came alongside, but it was with the greatest difficulty that the men got
out of her. They looked thoroughly worn out with their long pull. We
had scarcely made sail again and were standing on our course when the
gale came down on us, more furiously than before, blowing right in our
teeth. It was now evident that had a whale been killed we should have
been compelled to abandon it.

In spite of his fatigue the captain remained on deck, swearing fearfully
at his ill-luck. Those who had been away with the boats were allowed to
turn in, but the rest of us were kept on deck, for at any moment all our
strength might be required.

Suddenly, while I was aft, the captain uttered a loud cry, or shriek it
seemed to me.

"What's the matter, sir?" asked the mate.

"I cannot see!" groaned the captain. "Where am I? What has happened?"

The mate went to him and took his arm. "It may be but for a moment," he
said.

There had been no lightning; nothing, as far as we could discover, to
produce blindness. Still the captain refused to leave the deck,
declaring that it would pass over. The doctor, who had turned in, was
called up, and came to him.

The increasing gale compelled the mate to attend to the duties of the
ship. The doctor summoned me to assist in leading the captain below. I
took his arm; he was trembling like an aspen. We led him to his berth,
and assisted him to undress.

"Shall I be better in the morning, think you, doctor?" he asked, in an
agitated tone.

"I cannot say, Captain Hawkins. I believe that this blindness has come
on in consequence of your having overtaxed your physical powers. In