As for the point, an hour's rubbing on a piece of sandstone made an excellent one.
It would be a matter of much time and labour to describe the appearance of the multitudes of fish that were day after day drawn into our boat by means of the brass hook.

Peterkin always caught them,--for we observed that he derived much pleasure from fishing,--while Jack and I found ample amusement in looking on, also in gazing down at the coral groves, and in baiting the hook.

Among the fish that we saw, but did not catch, were porpoises and sword-fish, whales and sharks.

The porpoises came frequently into our lagoon in shoals, and amused us not a little by their bold leaps into the air, and their playful gambols in the sea.

The sword- fish were wonderful creatures; some of them apparently ten feet in length, with an ivory spear, six or eight feet long, projecting from their noses.