THE WHALE FISHERY. 51 



"Two of the tugs ran over him, and the propeller of the Wade Hampton gave him several 

 blows, the effects of which were seen upon his bleeding back as he next rose. The line had also 

 evidently chafed him considerably, the skin near the tail being perceptibly raw from it. It 

 appeared about this time as if he was almost exhausted. He would now and then cease his 

 struggles entirely, and lie placidly upon the water with almost his entire body exposed, as it 

 resting. Observers could almost imagine that they could see him pant, and hi* snorts came in 

 quick succession, and seemed to have a ring of distress or despair in them. His motions, too, 

 were slower and more languid, as if he were about to relinquish the unequal struggle and die. 



" All this time the two boats that had originated the chase had steadily followed him up, the 

 men in the bows driving their long lances into his body near where their experience taught them 

 was a vital point. Suddenly there was a cheer. One of the tugs rather involuntarily had gotten 

 so close on him that the remainder of the line hanging to him was secured by a boat-hook, and 

 quickly spliced to another line on board. About half an hour of playing him followed, when the 

 line, which had been stranded gradually, again parted. Haifa dozen efforts were made to throw a 

 noose over his tail from the deck of the Wade Hampton, from which place such trifles as a rifle-bullet 

 or so and two or three balls from a large revolver were fired into him without perceptible effect. One 

 or two of the efforts to throw the noose over him were very nearly successful, but he seemed to 

 dodge beneath the water as it fell about him. 



" Another cheer announced another apparent success. A lance thrust from one of the Bangs 

 & Colby boats had evidently struck him deeply, and the men in her yelled exultantly as they rap- 

 idly backed away. The blood poured out and dyed the water around, and in a few seconds a 

 gigantic plume of crimson spray arose as he came up to blow. As he lifted his side from the water 

 and struck another gigantic blow, the blood could be seen pouring forth in a stream like that from 

 a small hose. He lay comparatively quiet, and another and stronger line was passed about him 

 from the Morgan. With this he was played for another half hour, during which time the small 

 boats kept steadily striking him whenever he appeared. He had by this time changed his course 

 somewhat, turning toward the center of the harbor, and crossing the stream across the bows of 

 the bark Framat, which he narrowly missed striking. 



"The confusion of boats and lines was very great, tugs, bateaus, and row-boats being gath- 

 ered about the fish, alternately advancing and backing, amid a chaos of yells, oaths, cries of warn- 

 ing, and orders, the confusion being increased when the object of all attention would suddenly 

 begin to lash the water or execute some fancy movement, causing a wild scattering of craft on all 

 sides. That some one was not drowned or knocked in the head is a subject of general wonder. 



" At last, when just alongside the Wade Hampton, the whale, who had lines enough about him 

 almost for a ship's rigging, seemed suddenly to decide to free himself by one mighty effort. In a 

 second almost the water for many feet about him became a mass of seething, heaving foam. He 

 turned over and over, fairly churned the sea with his tail, threw first his ugly head, and then the 

 great black rubber-looking flukes far above the surface, and bent himself almost double, straight- 

 ening out again with terrific violence. When the spray and foam were gone and men had an 

 opportunity to look, the Morgan's line was found slack and broken. The whale had freed himself 

 and disappeared. His track was rapidly followed, the struggle having by this time been brought 

 to a point opposite the Southern wharves, which were packed with people. 



" The game appeared once or twice at long intervals, and was finally come up with by the 

 pursuers, now greatly diminished in numbers, on the eastern side of Cooper Eiver, near the 

 shore. Again the chase became hot, one or two strokes being given, and the Morgan running 

 over the whale again. About this time, however, he ran so close in that the tugs were afraid to 



