BECALMED. G7

sake of carrying home the vessel and her rich
freight in safety. That was but natural, and I
earnestly hoped that he might be restored to health.
Instead, however, of gaining strength, he appeared
to grow weaker and weaker.

The calm had now continued for several days.
Often as I looked over the side I saw dark trian-
gular fins just rising above the surface, and mov-
ing here and there round the ship, and frequently
the whole form of the monster could be discerned
ag it glided by; and when I saw its keen cruel
eyes glancing up towards me, I felt a shudder pass
through my frame, such as, according to the vulgar
notion, a person feels when it is said that some
one is walking over his grave. Occasionally, when
anything was thrown overboard, a white flash was
seen rising out of the deep, anda large pair of jaws,
armed with sharp teeth, opening, gulped it down,
and directly afterwards the creature went swim-
ming on, watching for any other dainty morsel
which might come in its way. ‘ How dreadful it
would be to fall overboard, I thought. Calm as
the sea is, a person, with those creatures around,
would have very little chance of escaping with
life.’