that he has had some difficulty in
understanding the descriptions in the old journal from which the tale is
taken. From its evident truthfulness and general accuracy, he would not
feel justified in altering them. But the illustration beats him, and
sets at defiance all the accounts in his books of natural history. He
must therefore leave his readers to judge for themselves.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

THE WHALE SINKS--ALICE SUPPORTED BY THE MATE--A HAMMER-HEADED SHARK
APPEARS--ALICE'S ALARM--NUB CONQUERS THE HAMMER-HEAD--VOYAGE ON A
SEA-CHEST.

The huge monster rolling over, slowly sank head foremost into the depths
of the ocean; possibly from the oil in the case by some means or other
having escaped, thereby depriving it of its buoyancy--an occurrence
which occasionally takes place when, after a hard chase, a whale has
been captured, and the victors are about to tow it in triumph to their
ship; losing in consequence several hundred pounds worth of oil.

The mate and Nub found themselves dragged a considerable way under
water; but quickly coming up again, as they were striking out they
caught sight of the raft driving before the wind, and poor Alice
struggling in the water at some distance from them. Horror-struck at
the sight, they swam towards her, their hearts beating with anxiety lest
they should not be in time to reach the spot ere she sank beneath the
surface, or was seized by one of the ravenous sharks from which Nub had
just before so narrowly escaped. Happily the savage creatures had
darted down after the whale, eager to seize the strips of blubber which
had been cut off its back. So busily were they engaged, that they did
not take notice of the human beings thus left to their tender mercies.
The mate had been on a part of the whale nearest Alice, and was thus the
first to approach her. Seeing the impossibility of reaching the raft,
he shouted to Nub and told him to swim after it; he himself intending to
assist Alice, who was stretching out her arms and piteously calling to
him for help.

Walter, who had gone off into a state of dreamy unconsciousness as he
lay stretched on the raft, on hearing Alice shriek out at the moment she
was dragged into the water, started up, his senses completely
bewildered, and instead of lowering the sail, stood waving his hands,
and incoherently shrieking out to her to come to him. The mate shouted
to him to lower the sail; but he did not understand the order, and
continued