36 THE WHALEMAN ; OR, 



" We are indebted to Captain Thomas A. Nor- 

 ton, of this town, one of the early commanders 

 of the whale ship Hector, of New Bedford, for 

 the following interesting particulars relative to 

 an attack upon and final capture of an ugly- 

 whale. Captain Norton was chief mate of the 

 Hector at the time. 



" ' In October, 1832, when in lat. 12° S., Ion. 

 80° W., the ship ninety days from port, we raised 

 a whale. The joyful cry was given of " There 

 she blows ! " and every thing on board at once 

 assumed an aspect of busy preparation for the 

 capture. The boats were lowered, and chase 

 commenced. When we got within about three 

 ships' lengths of him, he turned and rushed furi- 

 ously upon us. He struck us at the same mo- 

 ment we fastened to him. He stove the boat 

 badly ; but with the assistance of sails which 

 were placed under her bottom, and constant 

 bailing, she was kept above water. The cap- 

 tain, John O. Morse, came to our assistance. 1 

 told him he had better keep clear of the whale ; 

 but he said he had a very long lance, and wanted 

 to try it upon the rascal. Captain Morse went up 

 to the whale, when all at once he turned upon 

 the boat, which he took in his mouth, and held 

 it " right up on end," out of the water, and 

 shook it all to pieces in a moment. The men 



