172 



a steam-boat) that is a perfect description of the 

 taking of the whale. It is more than that. It is 

 the picture of the inner experience of the chase 

 and the fight — the joy of it, the glow of it, the 

 wild, fierce thrill of it ! 



I was wishing with all my heart, as we waited 

 for that submarine lounger to return to the sur- 

 face, that I could somehow tell which boat would 

 get a chance to fasten to him. 



But a sudden end to reminiscence and philoso- 

 phizing. Look ! There is frantic excitement in 

 the mate's boat off to leeward — " Stand up and 

 give it to him ! Quick, quick, quick ! " See ! — a 

 figure erect in the boat's bow — a long shaft 

 wielded in both hands high over the man's head — 

 a momentary poise — a swift, springing motion — 

 a sudden recoil — the harpoon hurtling through the 

 air — the slender line singing after it — the weapon 

 sunk fast in something, and that something 

 sinking rapidly into the depths, dragging the line 

 through the chocks so fast the druggs could do 

 nothing to steady it — fifty fathoms — a hun- 

 dred — two hundred ! The mate and the har- 

 pooner have changed places. The men dodged 

 the flying line. 



Now followed a fresh period of suspense — 

 anxious, but brief. 



