my sleep pattern changed. though i rested all the time, irarely slept longer than an hour or so at a stretch, even atnight. it was not the ceaseless motion of the sea that disturbedme, nor the wind; you get used to those the way you getused to lumps in a mattress. it was apprehension and anxietythat roused me. it was remarkable how little sleep i got by on.

unlike richard parker. he became a champion napper. mostof the time he rested beneath the tarpaulin. but on calm dayswhen the sun was not too harsh and on calm nights, he cameout. one of his favourite positions in the open was lying on thestern bench on his side, stomach overhanging the edge of it,front and back legs extending down the side benches. it was alot of tiger to squeeze onto a fairly narrow ledge, but hemanaged it by making his back very round. when he wastruly sleeping, he laid his head on his front legs, but when hismood was slightly more active, when he might choose to openhis eyes and look about, he turned his head and lay his chinon the gunnel.

another favourite position of his was sitting with his back tome, his rear half resting on the floor of the boat and his fronthalf on the bench, his face buried into the stern, paws rightnext to his head, looking as if we were playing hide-and-seekand he were the one counting. in this position he tended to lievery still, with only the occasional twitching of his ears toindicate that he was not necessarily sleeping.