durst not put off with them in so heavy a vessel.  After taking counsel with his officers, he anchored the ship as far off shore as possible; loaded and ran out his two cannon from the bows; stacked his muskets on the poop; and warning the Islanders not to approach the ship at their peril, took one man with him, and setting the sail of his best whale-boat, steered straight before the wind for Tahiti, five hundred miles distant, to procure a reinforcement to his crew.

“On the fourth day of the sail, a large canoe was descried, which seemed to have touched at a low isle of corals.  He steered away from it; but the savage craft bore down on him; and soon the voice of Steelkilt hailed him to heave to, or he would run him under water.  The captain presented a pistol.  With one foot on each prow of the yoked war-canoes, the Lakeman laughed him to scorn; assuring him that if the pistol so much as clicked in the lock, he would bury him in bubbles and foam.

“‘What do you want of me?’ cried the captain.

“‘Where are you bound? and for what are you bound?’ demanded Steelkilt; ‘no lies.’

“‘I am bound to Tahiti for more men.’

“‘Very good.  Let me board you a moment—­I come in peace.’  With that he leaped from the canoe, swam to the boat; and climbing the gunwale, stood face to face with the captain.

“’Cross your arms, sir; throw back your head.  Now, repeat after me.  As soon as Steelkilt leaves me, I swear to beach this boat on yonder island, and remain there six days.  If I do not, may lightning strike me!’

“‘A pretty scholar,’ laughed the Lakeman.  ‘Adios, Senor!’ and leaping into the sea, he swam back to his comrades.

“Watching the boat till it was fairly beached, and drawn up to the roots of the cocoa-nut trees, Steelkilt made sail again, and in due time arrived at Tahiti, his own place of destination.  There, luck befriended him; two ships were about to sail for France, and were providentially in want of precisely that number of men which the sailor headed.  They embarked, and so for ever got the start of their former captain, had he been at all minded to work them legal retribution.

“Some ten days after the French ships sailed, the whale-boat arrived, and the captain was forced to enlist some of the more civilized Tahitians, who had been somewhat used to the sea.  Chartering a small native schooner, he returned with them to his vessel; and finding all right there, again resumed his cruisings.

“Where Steelkilt now is, gentlemen, none know; but upon the island of Nantucket, the widow of Radney still turns to the sea which refuses to give up its dead; still in dreams sees the awful white whale that destroyed him.

“‘Are you through?’ said Don Sebastian, quietly.

“‘I am, Don.’

“’Then I entreat you, tell me if to the best of your own convictions, this your story is in substance really true?  It is so passing wonderful!  Did you get it from an unquestionable source?  Bear with me if I seem to press.’