NINE MONTHS IN THE ARCTIC. 37 



were thrown in every direction, and Captain 

 Morse fell from a height of at least thirty feet 

 into the water. Not being satisfied with the 

 total destruction of the boat, he set to work and 

 " chewed up " the boat kegs and lantern kegs, 

 and whatever fragments of the boat he could 

 find floating on the water. At this stage of the 

 " fight," I told Captain Morse that if he would 

 give me the choice of the ship's company, 1 

 would try him again. It was desperate work, 

 to all appearance, and up to this time the vicious 

 fellow had had it all his own way. The captain 

 was in favor of trying him from the ship, but 

 finally consented for us to attack him again from 

 a boat. With a picked crew, we again approached 

 the whale, now lying perfectly still, apparently 

 ready for another attack, as the event proved. 

 Seeing our approach, he darted towards us with 

 his mouth wide open, his ponderous jaws com- 

 ing together every moment with tremendous 

 energy. We gave the word to " stern all," which 

 was obeyed in good earnest. As we passed the 

 ship, I heard the captain exclaim, " There goes 

 another boat ! " She did go, to be sure, through 

 the water with all speed, but fortunately not to 

 destruction. The monster chased us in this way 

 for half a mile or more, during most of which 

 time his jaws were within six or eight inches of 



