260 MARINE MAMMALS OF THE NORTH-WESTERN COAST. 
so that her tired offspring may keep near, thereby presenting the opportunity to 
the "harpooniersman" to thrust effectively with his weapon, the murderous blow 
often causes the animal to recoil in its anguish, and give a swoop of its ponderous 
flukes, or a toss of its head, which, coming in contact with the boat, produces a 
general wreck, and more or less injury to the men. In the winter of 1856, we 
were whaling about the esteros of Magdalena Bay, where, in attacking sixteen 
whales, two boats were entirely destroyed, while the others were staved fifteen 
times ; and out of eighteen men who officered and manned them, six were badly 
jarred, one had both legs broken, another three ribs fractured, and still another 
was so much injured internally that he was unable to perform duty during the 
rest of the voyage. All these serious casualties happened before a single whale 
was captured. However, after a few days' rest, while the boats were being 
repaired and new ones fitted to take the place of those destroyed, the contest with 
the "Devil-fish" was again renewed, and with successful results. Several whales 
were taken without accident, and no serious casualty occurred during the rest of 
the season. 
During the spring and summer months of 1857, we were engaged with the 
brig Boston in whaling, sealing, and Sea Elephant hunting, but with ill success. 
The crew was shipped for eight months only ; hence we would have been obliged 
to return to port with nearly an empty vessel, had not nearly all the men volun- 
teered to engage for the winter season, rather than leave the vessel, penniless. 
Only three men desired to leave the brig, who were landed at Santa Barbai'a. 
Having previously ascertained that a large lagoon branched from the Bay of San 
Sebastian Viscaino (heretofore unknown to whalers), where the California Grays, in 
the season, probably resorted, a small schooner as a tender, with men to increase 
our deficient ship's company, was dispatched from San Francisco, and joined the 
brig at the appointed place of rendezvous, in the snug harbor of Catalina Island. 
All being in readiness, both vessels sailed, the last of November, 1857, for the new 
whaling -ground. Nothing of special interest transpired until we arrived off our 
first landmark — now known as Lagoon or Safety Head. Under this land both 
vessels anchored for the night. On the following day, three boats and the 
tender were dispatched to explore the coast to the southward, and "sound out" the 
channel into the lagoon. Two days passed, when a messenger returned with the 
report that the tender had entered the estuary without difficulty, and that there 
was sufficient depth of water on the bar for the brig to pass over. It was after- 
noon before we got under way. A brisk breeze was blowing, and would have car- 
ried us to a land-locked harbor before evening, had it not failed us when nearly 
