I think I must at length have become light-headed, for gradually a
feeling stole over me that everything--my surroundings, my situation,
and my suffering--was unreal; that I was the victim of a peculiarly
ghastly and horrible nightmare; and that I should by and by be wakened
fortunately to find that I was in my own bunk, and that the events of
the past twenty-four hours had been nothing more than an exceptionally
vivid and realistic dream. From this state I was partially aroused by
seeing a number of glittering objects start out of the sea all round me,
while at the same instant I was conscious of receiving a sharp blow on
the chest, when, on looking down into my lap, I saw a fine flying-fish
wriggling and flapping there, making a gallant but ineffectual effort to
hoist himself out of the hollow formed by my crossed legs, and return to
the water. For a second or two I stared stupidly down at the struggling
creature, and then it seemed to dawn upon my dazed faculties that here
at last was food, something that would at least mitigate for a time the
fierce pangs of my gnawing hunger, and in a very frenzy of eagerness I
clutched the unfortunate fish and bit savagely into its writhing body!