Theintenseeffectproducedbythissuddenapparitionisnotatalltobewonderedatwhenthevariouscircumstancesaretakenintoconsideration。Usually，incasesofasimilarnature，thereisleftinthemindofthespectatorsomeglimmeringofdoubtastotherealityofthevisionbeforehiseyes；adegreeofhope，howeverfeeble，thatheisthevictimofchicanery，andthattheapparitionisnotactuallyavisitantfromtheoldworldofshadows。Itisnottoomuchtosaythatsuchremnantsofdoubthavebeenatthebottomofalmosteverysuchvisitation，andthattheappallinghorrorwhichhassometimesbeenbroughtabout，istobeattributed，eveninthecasesmostinpoint，andwheremostsufferinghasbeenexperienced，moretoakindofanticipativehorror，lesttheapparitionmightpossiblybereal，thantoanunwaveringbeliefinitsreality。But，inthepresentinstance，itwillbeseenimmediately，thatinthemindsofthemutineerstherewasnoteventheshadowofabasisuponwhichtorestadoubtthattheapparitionofRogerswasindeedarevivificationofhisdisgustingcorpse，oratleastitsspiritualimage。Theisolatedsituationofthebrig，withitsentireinaccessibilityonaccountofthegale，confinedtheapparentlypossiblemeansofdeceptionwithinsuchnarrowanddefinitelimits，thattheymusthavethoughtthemselvesenabledtosurveythemallataglance。Theyhadnowbeenatseatwenty-fourdays，withoutholdingmorethanaspeakingcommunicationwithanyvesselwhatever。Thewholeofthecrew，too-atleastallwhomtheyhadthemostremotereasonforsuspectingtobeonboard-wereassembledinthecabin，withtheexceptionofAllen，thewatch；andhisgiganticstaturebewassixfeetsixincheshighwastoofamiliarintheireyestopermitthenotionthathewastheapparitionbeforethemtoentertheirmindsevenforaninstant。Addtotheseconsiderationstheawe-inspiringnatureofthetempest，andthatoftheconversationbroughtaboutbyPeters；thedeepimpressionwhichtheloathsomenessoftheactualcorpsehadmadeinthemorningupontheimaginationsofthemen；theexcellenceoftheimitationinmyperson，andtheuncertainandwaveringlightinwhichtheybeheldme，astheglareofthecabinlantern，swingingviolentlytoandfro，felldubiouslyandfitfullyuponmyfigure，andtherewillbenoreasontowonderthatthedeceptionhadevenmorethantheentireeffectwhichwehadanticipated。Thematesprangupfromthemattressonwhichhewaslying，and，withoututteringasyllable，fellback，stonedead，uponthecabinfloor，andwashurledtotheleewardlikealogbyaheavyrollofthebrig。Oftheremainingseven，therewerebutthreewhohadatfirstanydegreeofpresenceofmind。Thefourotherssatforsometimerootedapparentlytothefloor，themostpitiableobjectsofhorrorandutterdespairmyeyeseverencountered。Theonlyoppositionweexperiencedatallwasfromthecook，JohnHunt，andRichardParker；buttheymadebutafeebleandirresolutedefence。
ThetwoformerwereshotinstantlybyPeters，andIfelledParkerwithablowontheheadfromthepump-handlewhichIhadbroughtwithme。Inthemeantime，Augustusseizedoneofthemusketslyingonthefloornowbutthreeremaining；butbythistimetheyhadbecomearousedfromtheirlethargy，andperhapsbegantoseethatadeceptionhadbeenpractiseduponthem，fortheyfoughtwithgreatresolutionandfury，and，butfortheimmensemuscularstrengthofPeters，mighthaveultimatelygotthebetterofus。ThesethreemenwereJones，Greely，andAbsolomHicks。JoneshadthrownAugustustothefloor，stabbedhiminseveralplacesalongtherightarm，andwouldnodoubthavesoondispatchedhimasneitherPetersnormyselfcouldimmediatelygetridofourownantagonists，haditnotbeenforthetimelyaidofafriend，uponwhoseassistancewe，surely，hadneverdepended。ThisfriendwasnootherthanTiger。Withalowgrowl，heboundedintothecabin，atamostcriticalmomentforAugustus，andthrowinghimselfuponJones，pinnedhimtothefloorinaninstant。Myfriend，however，wasnowtoomuchinjuredtorenderusanyaidwhatever，andIwassoencumberedwithmydisguisethatI
coulddobutlittle。ThedogwouldnotleavehisholduponthethroatofJonesPeters，nevertheless，wasfarmorethanamatchforthetwomenwhoremained，andwould，nodoubt，havedispatchedthemsooner，haditnotbeenforthenarrowspaceinwhichhehadtoact，andthetremendouslurchesofthevessel。Presentlyhewasenabledtogetholdofaheavystool，severalofwhichlayaboutthefloor。WiththishebeatoutthebrainsofGreelyashewasintheactofdischargingamusketatme，andimmediatelyafterwardarollofthebrigthrowinghimincontactwithHicks，heseizedhimbythethroat，and，bydintofsheerstrength，strangledhiminstantaneously。Thus，infarlesstimethanIhavetakentotellit，wefoundourselvesmastersofthebrig。
TheonlypersonofouropponentswhowasleftalivewasRichardParker。Thisman，itwillberemembered，Ihadknockeddownwithablowfromthepump-handleatthecommencementoftheattack。Henowlaymotionlessbythedooroftheshatteredstateroom；but，uponPeterstouchinghimwithhisfoot，hespoke，andentreatedformercy。
Hisheadwasonlyslightlycut，andotherwisehehadreceivednoinjury，havingbeenmerelystunnedbytheblow。Henowgotup，and，forthepresent，wesecuredhishandsbehindhisback。ThedogwasstillgrowlingoverJones；but，uponexamination，wefoundhimcompletelydead，thebloodissuinginastreamfromadeepwoundinthethroat，inflicted，nodoubt，bythesharpteethoftheanimal。