THE AMERICAN WHALE-FISHERY. 2G3 
numbers. On the next day the boats were sent in pursuit, and two large cows 
were captured without difficulty, which gave all hands confidence in our ultimate 
success. Early the next morning, the boats were again in eager pursuit ; but 
before the animal was struck, it gave a dash with its flukes, staving the boat into 
fragments, and sending the crew in all directions. One man had his leg broken, 
another had an arm fractured, and three others were more or less injured — -the 
officer of the boat being the only one who escaped unharmed. The relief boat, 
while rescuing the wounded men, was also staved by a passing whale, leaving only 
one boat afloat. The tender being near at hand, however, a boat from that vessel 
rendered assistance, and all returned to the brig. When the first boat arrived 
with her freight of crippled passengers, it could only be compared to a floating 
ambulance crowded with men — the uninjured supporting the helpless. As soon as 
they reached the vessel, those who were maimed were placed on mattresses upon 
the quarter-deck, while others hobbled to their quarters in the forecastle. The 
next boat brought with it the remains of the two others, which were complete 
wrecks. Every attention was given to the wounded men, their broken limbs were 
set, cuts and bruises were carefully dressed, and all the injured were made as 
comfortable as our situation would permit ; but the vessel, for several days, was 
a contracted and crowded hospital. During this time no whaling was attempted, 
as nearly half of the crew were unfit for duty, and a large portion of the rest 
were demoralized by fright. After several days of rest, however, two boat's crews 
were selected, and the pursuit was renewed. The men, on leaving the vessel, took 
to the oars apparently with as much spirit as ever ; but on nearing a whale to be 
harpooned, they all jumped overboard, leaving no one in the boat, except the 
boat -header and the boat-steerer. On one occasion, a bulky deserter from the 
U. S. Army, who had boasted of his daring exploits in the Florida War, made a 
headlong plunge, as he supposed, into the water ; but he landed on the flukes of 
the whale, fortunately receiving no injury, as the animal settled gently under 
water, thereby ridding itself of the human parasite. 
It was useless to attempt whaling with men who were so completely panic- 
stricken ; and the officers and boat-steerers combined could not muster the com- 
plement to man two boats. Our situation was both singular and trying. The 
vessel lay in perfect security in smooth water ; and the objects of pursuit, which 
had been so anxiously sought, were now in countless numbers about us. It was 
readily to be seen that it was impossible to capture the whales in the usual manner 
with our present company, and no others could be obtained before the season 
would be over. Among the officers there were two who had been considered good 
