NINE MONTHS IN THE ARCTIC. 33 



manned with " green hands," the command of 

 which he himself assumed, and directed in pur- 

 suit of the whale. Five boats were now en- 

 gaged in the contest, with the exception of the 

 one stoven, and all the available crew and offi- 

 cers, including the captain, concentrated their 

 efforts and energies in order to capture this 

 " ugly customer." Just at the moment he was 

 attacking or had already attacked the second 

 boat, the captain's boat appeared on the ground, 

 and from some cause best known to himself, the 

 whale immediately left the former and assailed 

 the latter. What the whale had already done, 

 and what he appeared determined still to do, 

 were by no means very flattering antecedents, 

 and would very naturally impress the minds of 

 " green hands," especially, that whaling, after all, 

 was a reality, and not an imaginary affair or 

 ordinary pastime. 



On, therefore, the whale came to the captain's 

 boat, ploughing the sea before him, jaws extend- 

 ed, with the fell purpose of destroying whatever 

 he might chance to meet. As he approached near, 

 the lance was thrust into his head and held in 

 that position by the captain, and by this means 

 he was kept at bay, while the boat was driven 

 astern nearly half a mile. In this manner he 

 was prevented from coming any nearer to the 

 3 



