lOO FOLLOW THE WHALE 



surface directly ahead of them. Her brother gave a single order and 

 the boat literally jumped forward, the little harpooner known as 

 "Naze," because he was always asking questions, poised in its bows. 

 Before any of the oarsmen knew what had happened, a harpoon was 

 fast in the animal, the line had leaped overboard carrying the in- 

 flated skin float behind it, and Daikyo had brought the boat around 

 in a tight turn. Then he too seized a harpoon, and leaning right over 

 the head of his first oarsman, he cast it almost directly downwards. 



As if lightning had struck it, the whale came to life with one 

 tremendous heave that projected it straight out of the water, and as 

 it went it took the float which was attached to Daikyo's line clean 

 out of the bottom of the boat. And, as this went, it caught Daikyo 

 in the small of his back and punched him abruptly overboard. Then 

 two things happened. The first whale headed straight for the big 

 boat, while a second whale breached right alongside. Another man 

 had already seized the steering oar in Daikyo's place and the har- 

 pooner. Naze, had another implement ready, which he cast, and he 

 once again made fast. This second whale sounded immediately, 

 leaving a whorl of blood on the surface. 



The first whale, pulling two floats, rushed over the sea and passed 

 right by the big boat, from which three more harpoons were thrown. 

 Two of these took, and this caused the animal to turn suddenly and 

 come straight back between the two lines of boats. It was only then 

 that those in the surrounding boats saw Daikyo swimming for the 

 big boat, but right between the whale and one of the floats. What 

 happened next could not have been avoided, so quickly did it take 

 place. The monster had turned almost a complete circle, and as it 

 rushed off, the line pulled round Daikyo in a tight loop and he was 

 jerked off over the surface in a cloud of foam. That was when the 

 men of many boats lost considerable face which they never really 

 recovered, for as the whale passed Daikyo's boat, they were amazed 

 to see somebody dive overboard directly upon it. 



That one helps one's friends is an established tradition, but diving 

 into the sea to combat an infuriated kujira in this cause is not con- 

 sidered either sensible, practical, or even worthwhile. When, there- 

 fore, the onlookers realized who had so dived, they held their breaths 

 and their oars and even their harpoons, for it was liye who had 

 disappeared below the surface. And thus they waited quite immobile 



