272 MARINE MAMMALS OF THE NORTH-WESTERN COAST. 
the whales I had the luck to captivate was them old white- bellied fellers that 
had a fin on 'em like a seventy -four's breast -hook, and would turn up sixty 
barrels apiece, without skimmin'- slicks ; and didn't I catch my share of whales on 
the Nor'- west?" "Yes," replied the captain; "I had no fault to find until we 
came in here to Devil-fish it." "Yes, well," replied the mate; "I hain't no 
growlin' to do, only one thing: I shipped to this ship to go a-whalin'; I'd no 
idea of bein' required to go into a duck -pond to whale after spotted hyenas^ 
Why, Cap'n, these here critters in this bay ain't whales.!" ""Well, if they ain't 
whales, what are they?" asked the captain, in a husky voice. "Well," replied 
the mate, "I don't know rightly what they be ; but I hev a strong notion they 
are a cross 'tween a sea-serpent and an alligator. Why, these Mussel -diggers 
will turn round in their tracks, Cap'n ; and it's no use — you can't git these here 
Ripsacks without a good deal of boat -staging ; but I'll bring my Avhale, or split 
the cedar, else my name ain't Cooper." 
These incidents are only given as illustrative of whaling life in the lagoons of 
California ; yet, with all the hazard pertaining to the fishery, such extremely 
daring efforts have been put forth by many whaling -masters to capture the Cali- 
fornia Gray, that we will, in justice to them, further mention that, where ships 
were of too heavy draught to pass the bars of several of the lagoons, they 
anchored near the breakers at the confluence of those inland waters, where they 
were exposed to the sweep of the wind and waves from seaward, remaining there 
the whole season, the boats passing and repassing the bars during fine weather, in 
order to reach the prey in their coverts, or were employed in attacking them 
around the shoals of the harbor's mouth, when the sea was comparatively smooth ; 
but even there an occasional breaker would roll up its foaming crest, when the 
"fast" fish would run through it, as if by instinct, to rid itself of its relentless 
enemies ; yet, in man}' cases, this endeavor to escape proved abortive, as the 
whalemen would "fleet aft" in their boats, in order to elevate their bows to meet 
the sea, when with one bound the danger was passed, without shipping much 
water, or what might be taken in was quickly bailed out, and, being then in the 
open sea, the work of capture would be renewed effectively. 
AGAIN TO THE NORTH, AND HOME. 
It is time to leave the coast of California, as the bay -whaling season is over; 
and the ship having been thoroughly cleaned, and a supply of wood taken on 
board, with perhaps a recruit of green turtles for a sea- stock of fresh meat, the 
