reluctantly on Jarl's part; who, while rowing, kept
his eyes over his shoulder, as if about to beach the little Chamois
on the back of a whale as of yore. Indeed, he seemed full as
impatient to quit the vicinity of the vessel, as before he had been
anxiously courting it.

Now, as the silent brigantine again swung round her broadside, I
hailed her loudly. No return. Again. But all was silent. With a few
vigorous strokes, we closed with her, giving yet another unanswered
hail; when, laying the Chamois right alongside, I clutched at the
main-chains. Instantly we felt her dragging us along. Securing our
craft by its painter, I sprang over the rail, followed by Jarl, who
had snatched his harpoon, his favorite arms. Long used with that
weapon to overcome the monsters of the deep, he doubted not it would
prove equally serviceable in any other encounter.

The deck was a complete litter. Tossed about were pearl oyster
shells, husks of cocoa-nuts, empty casks, and cases. The deserted
tiller was lashed; which accounted for the vessel's yawing. But we
could not conceive, how going large before the wind; the craft could,
for any considerable time, at least, have guided herself without the
help of a hand. Still, the breeze was light and steady.

Now, seeing the helm thus lashed, I could not but distrust the
silence that prevailed. It conjured up the idea of miscreants
concealed below, and meditating treachery; unscrupulous mutineers--
Lascars, or Manilla-men; who, having murdered the Europeans of
the crew, might not be willing to let strangers depart unmolested. Or
yet worse, the entire ship's company might have been swept away by a
fever, its infection still lurking in the poisoned hull. And though
the first conceit, as the last, was a mere surmise, it was
nevertheless deemed prudent to secure the hatches, which for the
present we accordingly barred down with the oars of our boat. This
done, we went about the deck in search of water. And finding some in
a clumsy cask, drank long and freely, and to our thirsty souls'
content.

The wind now freshening, and the rent sails like to blow from the
yards, we brought the brigantine to the wind, and brailed up the
canvas. This left us at liberty to examine the craft, though,
unfortunately, the night was growing hazy.

All this while our boat was still towing alongside; and I was about
to drop it astern, when Jarl, ever cautious, declared it safer where
it was; since, if there were peop