But who could have been guilty of so foul a deed! Curtis looked around with anger flashing In his eye; but all seemed as usual, and the silence was only broken by a few groans of agony.
But there was no time to be lost; perhaps we were already observed, and more horrible scenes might be likely to occur.

Curtis said a few short prayers, and we cast the body into the sea.

It sank immediately.
"They are feeding the sharks well, and no mistake," said a voice behind me.
I turned round quickly, and found that it was Jynxstrop who had spoken.
As the boatswain now approached, I asked him whether he thought it possible that any of the wretched men could have taken the dead man's foot.
"Oh yes, I dare say," he replied, in a significant tone "and perhaps they thought they were right." "Right! what do you mean ?" I exclaimed.
"Well, sir," he said coldly, "isn't it better to eat a dead man than a living one ?" I was at a loss to comprehend him, and, turning away, laid myself down at the end of the raft.
Towards eleven o'clock, a most suspicious incident occurred.

The boatswain, who had cast his lines early in the morning, caught three large cod, each more than thirty inches long, of the species which, when dried, is known by the name of stock-fish.

Scarcely had he hauled them on board, when the sailors made a dash at them, and it was with the utmost difficulty that Curtis, Falsten, and myself could restore order, so that we might divide the fish into equal portions.