ot_ found him; had failed, indeed, to find the
slightest suggestion of his presence; and if those sounds had not a
human origin, _whence came they_? It was the mystery of the thing, as
well as the weird, unearthly character of the cries, that sent a thrill
of horror through the marrow, and made me almost madly anxious to find
an explanation. I worked the boat to and fro athwart those few square
yards of ocean for a full hour or more, and shouted myself hoarse, until
I at length most unwillingly abandoned the search, and squared away to
place as many miles as possible between myself and that unhallowed spot
ere I attempted to sleep.

It must have been past midnight before I had so far thrown off the
feeling of horror induced by the uncanny experience that I have related
as to admit of my contemplating seriously the idea of securing some
rest; and even when at length I did so, and had completed all my
preparations, such as shortening sail and heaving-to, it was still some
time before oblivion came to me. But when it did, it was complete, for
the weather was fine and had a settled appearance, the boat lay-to most
admirably and took perfect care of herself, and altogether I felt so
absolutely safe that there seemed to be no need at all for that peculiar
attitude of alertness during sleep to which I have already alluded; my
need of sound, refreshing slumber was great, and I lay down, determined
to satisfy that need while the opportunity presented itself, and let
myself go completely.

Yet, although I had surrendered myself to sleep with the settled
conviction of my absolute safety, and the feeling that my repose would
continue until broken by the first rays of the morrow's sun, I awakened
suddenly while it was yet quite dark and when, as it seemed to me, I had
only been asleep a very few minutes. And my awakening was not that of a
person who gradually passes from sleep to wakefulness because he has
enjoyed a sufficiency of rest; it was an abrupt, instant transition from
complete oblivion to a state of wide-awake, startled consciousness that
caused me to leap to my feet and gaze wildly about me as my eyes snapped
open to the star-lit heavens. And as I did so I became aware of a
rapidly growing sound of leaping, splashing, gurgling water, and a
humming as of wind sweeping through tightly strained cordage, close to
leeward. There was no need for me to pause and consider what was the
origin of these sounds; I recognised t