CaptainSandersonnowputhispipebackintohismouth，andCaptainBurresstookouthispipe。
\"Iwasonceinanobelisk-ship，\"saidhe，\"thatusedtotraderegularbetweenEgyptandNewYork，carryingobelisks。Wehadabigobeliskonboard。Thewaytheyshipobelisksistomakeaholeinthesternoftheship，andruntheobeliskin，p\'intedendforemost；andthisobeliskfilledupnearlythewholeofthatshipfromsterntobow。Wewasabouttendaysout，andsailingaforeanortheastgalewiththeenginesatfullspeed，whensuddenlywespiedbreakersahead，andourCaptainsawwewasabouttorunonabank。Nowifwehadn\'thadanobeliskonboardwemighthavesailedoverthatbank，butthecaptainknewthatwithanobeliskonboardwedrewtoomuchwaterforthis，andthatwe\'dbewreckedinaboutfifty-fivesecondsifsomethingwasn\'tdonequick。Sohehadtodosomethingquick，andthisiswhathedid：Heorderedallsteamon，anddroveslam-bangonthatbank。Justasheexpected，westoppedsosuddintthatthatbigobeliskbouncedfor\'ard，itsp\'intedendforemost，andwentcleanthroughthebowandshotoutintothesea。Theminuteitdidthatthevesselwassolightenedthatitroseinthewaterandweeasilysteamedoverthebank。Therewasonemanknockedoverboardbytheshockwhenwestruck，butassoonaswemissedhimwewentbackafterhimandwegothimallright。Yousee，whenthatobeliskwentoverboard，itsbutt-end，whichwasheaviest，wentdownfirst，andwhenittouchedthebottomitjuststoodthere，andasitwassuchabigobelisktherewasaboutfiveandahalffeetofitstuckoutofthewater。Themanwhowasknockedoverboardhejustswumforthatobeliskandheclimbedupthehiryglyphics。Itwasamightyfineobelisk，andtheEgyptianshadcuttheirhiryglyphicsgoodanddeep，sothatthemancouldgethandandfoot-hold；andwhenwegottohimandtookhimoff，hewassittinghighanddryonthep\'intedendofthatobelisk。Itwasagreatpityabouttheobelisk，foritwasagoodobelisk，butasIneverheardthecompanytriedtoraiseit，Iexpectitisstandingthereyet。\"
CaptainBurressnowputhispipebackintohismouthandlookedatCaptainJenkinson，whoremovedhispipeandsaid：
\"Thequeerestthingthateverhappenedtomewasaboutashark。WewasofftheBanks，andthetimeofyearwasJuly，andtheicewascomingdown，andwegotinamongalotofit。Notfaraway，offourweatherbow，therewasalittleicebergwhichhadsuchaqueernessaboutitthatthecaptainandthreemenwentinaboattolookatit。Theicewasmightyclearice，andyoucouldseealmostthroughit，andrightinsideofit，notmorethanthreefeetabovethewaterline，andabouttwofeet，ormaybetwentyinches，insidetheice，wasawhoppingbigshark，aboutfourteenfeetlong，——aregularman-eater，——frozenintherehardandfast。`Blessmysoul，\'saidthecaptain，`thisisawonderfulcuriosity，andI\'mgoingtogithimout。\'Justthenoneofthemensaidhesawthatsharkwink，butthecaptainwouldn\'tbelievehim，forhesaidthatsharkwasfrozenstiffandhardandcouldn\'twink。Yousee，thecaptainhadhisownideesaboutthings，andheknewthatwhaleswaswarm-bloodedandwouldfreezeiftheywasshutupinice，butheforgotthatsharkswasnotwhalesandthatthey\'recold-bloodedjustliketoads。Andthereistoadsthathasbeenshutupinrocksforthousandsofyears，andtheystayedalive，nomatterhowcoldtheplacewas，becausetheywascold-blooded，andwhentherockswassplit，outhoppedthefrog。But，asIsaidbefore，thecaptainforgotsharkswascold-blooded，andhedeterminedtogitthatoneout。
\"Nowyoubothknow，beinghousekeepers，thatifyoutakeaneedleanddriveitintoahunkoficeyoucansplitit。Thecaptainhadasail-needlewithhim，andsohedroveitintotheicebergrightalongsideofthesharkandsplitit。Nowtheminutehediditheknewthatthemanwasrightwhenhesaidhesawthesharkwink，foritfloppedoutofthaticebergquickernoraflashoflightning。\"