RIGHT AND SPERM WHALES. 41 



quickly the Sperm Whales find out when their compan- 

 ions are in difficulty. 



" I have been looking over in my mind some of my 

 voyages in the Pacific, and one circumstance is now 

 fresh in mind. In the year 1824, when I was second 

 mate of the ship Maria, of New Bedford, while cruising 

 near the Marquesas, or Washington Islands, the look- 

 out at the masthead saw a large Sperm Whale off our 

 lee bow, about three fourths of a mile distant, going 

 with moderate, speed the same course the ship was then 

 steering. There was no other whale then in sight. 

 The ship was laid aback, the boats were lowered, and 

 the chief mate and myself went in pursuit. The whale 

 went down before we reached him ; and while he was 

 down a signal was made from the ship that another 

 whale was in sight, two miles ahead of the ship, and 

 going the same course. Soon the whale which we 

 were in pursuit of came up, and the mate pulled on 

 and struck him. I pulled up to assist the mate, when 

 a signal was made from the ship that the whale ahead 

 was coming towards the boats and the struck whale. 

 I left the fast whale with the mate, and prepared to 

 receive the other. Soon we saw him coming at the top 

 of his speed, or < eyes out/ as the whalemen say. He 

 came directly to the fast whale, lashing the water with 

 his flukes, and floundering around violently. I soon 

 got an opportunity, and struck him, whereupon he 

 turned upon my boat and tried to stave it to pieces, 

 but after a hard struggle I succeeded in conquering 

 him. When we got to the ship we found that the in- 

 stant, the first whale was struck by the mate, the other 

 whale ahead of the ship struck his flukes in the water 

 and disappeared, but in a few moments was up again, 



