ts.

The condition of the CACHALOT's deck was now somewhat akin to chaos.
From the cabin door to the tryworks there was hardly an inch of
available space, and the oozing oil kept some of us continually baling
it up, lest it should leak out through the interstices in the bulwarks.
In order to avoid a breakdown, it became necessary to divide the crew
into six-hour watches, as although the work was exceedingly urgent on
account of the weather, there were evident signs that some of the crew
were perilously near giving in. So we got rest none too soon, and the
good effects of it were soon apparent. The work went on with much more
celerity than one would have thought possible, and soon the lumbered-up
decks began to resume their normal appearance.

As if to exasperate the "old man" beyond measure on the third day of
our operations a great school of sperm whales appeared, disporting all
around the ship, apparently conscious of our helplessness to interfere
with them. Notwithstanding our extraordinary haul, Captain Slocum went
black with impotent rage, and, after glowering at the sportive monsters,
beat a retreat below, unable to bear the sight any longer. During his
absence we had a rare treat. The whole school surrounded the ship, and
performed some of the strangest evolutions imaginable. As if instigated
by one common impulse, they all elevated their massive heads above
the surface of the sea, and remained for some time in that position,
solemnly bobbing up and down amid the glittering wavelets like movable
boulders of black rock. Then, all suddenly reversed themselves, and,
elevating their broad flukes in the air, commenced to beat them slowly
and rhythmically upon the water, like so many machines. Being almost a
perfect calm, every movement of the great mammals could be plainly seen;
some of them even passed so near to us that we could see how the lower
jaw hung down, while the animal was swimming in a normal position.

For over an hour they thus paraded around us, and then, as if startled
by some hidden danger, suddenly headed off to the westward, and in a few
minutes were out of our sight.

We cruised in the vicinity of the Comoro Islands for two months, never
quite out of sight of the mountain while the weather was clear. During
the whole of that time we were never clear of oil on deck, one catch
always succeeding another before there had been time to get cleared
up. Eight hundred barrels of oil were added to our car