The reappearance of the sword-fish,--if it was the same that had already
paid them a visit,--or more likely the discovery and pursuit of the
"school" of flying-fish,--had caused the albacores to decamp from the
neighbourhood of the _Catamaran_; so that with the exception of that
taken from the talons of the frigate-bird, not one was any longer to be
seen.
Once recovered from the excitement, caused by the singular accident that
happened to the _Catamaran_,--as well as the other incident almost as
singular,--her crew made an inspection of their craft, to see if any
damage had accrued from the shock.
Fortunately there was none. The piercing of the plank, in which the
bony rostrum remained firmly imbedded, was of no consequence whatever;
and, although several feet of the "sword,"--the whole of the blade, in
fact, excepting that which protruded above,--could be perceived jutting
out underneath, they made no attempt to "extract" it: since it could not
greatly interfere with the sailing qualities of the _Catamaran_.
The plank itself had been started slightly out of place aid one or two
other timbers loosened. But in such able hands as those of Snowball and
the sailor, these trifling damages were soon made good again.
The two baited hooks were once more dropped into the water, but the sun
went down over the ocean without either of them receiving a nibble. No
albacore,--no fish whatever,--no bird,--no living creature of any
kind,--was in sight at the setting of that sun; which, slowly
descending, as it were, into the silent depths of the ocean, left them
in the purple gleam of the twilight.
Notwithstanding the interesting events which had transpired,--enough to
secure them against a single moment of _ennui_,--they were far from
being cheerful in that twilight hour. The stirring incidents of the day
had kept them from thinking of their real situation; but when all was
once more tranquil,--even to the ocean around them,--their thoughts
naturally reverted to their very narrow chances of ultimately escaping
from that wide, wild waste, stretching, as it seemed, to the ends of the
world!
With wistful glances they had watched the sun sinking over the sea. The
point where the golden luminary disappeared from their sight was due
westward,--the direction in which they desired to go. Could they have
only been at that moment where his glorious orb was shining down from
the vertex, they would have been upon dry land; and, O what a thrilling
thought is that of firm stable earth, to the wretched castaway clinging
upon his frail raft in the middle of the endless ocean!
They were discouraged by the dead calm that reigned around them; for
every breath of the breeze had died away before sunset. The surface of
the sea was tranquil even to glassiness; and as the twilight deepened,
it began to mirror the millions of twinkling stars gradually thickening
in the sky.
There was something awful in the solemn stillness that reigned around
them; and with something like awe did it inspire them.
It was not unbroken by sounds; but these were of a character to sadden
rather than cheer them, for they were sounds to be heard only in the
wilderness of the great deep,--such as the half-screaming laugh of the
sea-mew, and the wild whistle of the boatswain-bird.
Another cause of discouragement to our castaways,--one which had that
day arisen,--was the loss of their valuable dried fish.
It is true that only a portion of their stock had been spilled into the
engulfing ocean; but even this was a cause of regret; since it might not
be so easy to make up the quantity lost.
While angling among the albacores, with the prospect of making a
successful troll, they had thought less of it. Now that these fish had
forsaken them,--leaving only three in their possession,--and they were
in doubt whether they might ever come across another "school,"--more
acutely did they feel the misfortune.
Their spirits sank still lower, as the descending twilight darkened
around them; and for an hour or more not a cheerful word was heard or
spoken by that sad quartette composing the crew of the _Catamaran_.