ly on King's chest. The sick man again opened his heavy eyes, and
seeing what had disturbed him, raised his hand, and feebly stroked the
monkey's glossy back. As long as I live I shall not forget the
expressive despair and love of that little creature. With a low, piteous
chirp, it wormed its small, round head under King's chin, and folded
its left arm as far round his throat as it would go.

"Jacko," said the sailor, so faintly that I could just distinguish the
words he uttered, "I shall--die. Yes!--I must!--yes,--Jacko."

The monkey moved not; but continued chirping, fondling closer to King's
neck, and doubling up his body almost into a ball.

"Oh! Lord!--Sir," exclaimed King suddenly--"here it comes! O! O! O!" and
the convulsion of his limbs and features testified his anguish. Such
expressions of dreadful pain at any other time would have frightened
Jacko out of his wits; but now he merely stood upright on his hind legs
with his diminutive hands placed on King's cheek, and glancing from the
tortured countenance and form of the stricken seaman to my face,
expressed his deep concern by the most melancholy chirrups.

Midnight had come and gone, and the hurricane continued unabated. The
wind blowing with terrific violence caused all commands to be given
through a speaking-trumpet; and the waves broke over the labouring
vessel in such frequent volumes, that they jeopardized the lives of the
men, who, in the excitement and execution of their duty, neglected due
precaution. I have crossed the Atlantic thrice from one hemisphere to
the other, and in a deeply-laden merchant-vessel experienced the anger
of a south-west gale; but my consolation then was to know, that the
sluggish ship had ample sea-room. Now, however, the case was reversed;
and with a storm concentrating the fury of ten others, our little bark
had no breadth of berth to lay to, or length to run in, but was
compelled to accept the alternative of beating against the tremendous
swell of the North Sea that appeared to crowd all its power and
vehemence into the mouth of the Fiord, or be shattered to atoms on the
perpendicular rocks of the mountains, against which the waves dashed
with a roar not less appalling than that of thunder. The intensity of
darkness was complete as that of a wall; for standing a foot abaft the
mast, we could not see the bowsprit end; and one man had no other order
to fulfil but to wait for the flashes of lightning, and mark the
position o