CAPTURING THE WHALE. Ill 



stantaneous, that he had no time for the least 

 exclamation ; and the person who witnessed his 

 extraordinary removal observed, that it was so 

 exceedingly quick, that although his eye was upon 

 him at the instant, he could scarcely distinguish the 

 object as it disappeared. 



A large whale became the subject of a general 

 chase, says Scorseby, on the 23d of June. Being 

 myself in the first boat which approached the fish, 

 I struck my harpoon at arm's-length, by which we 

 fortunately evaded a blow which appeared to be 

 aimed at the boat. Another boat then advanced, 

 and another harpoon was struck, but not with the 

 same result ; for the stroke was immediately re- 

 turned by a tremendous blow from the fish's tail. 

 The boat was sunk by the shock, and at the same 

 time whirled round Avith such velocity, that the 

 boat-steerer was precipitated into the water on the 

 side next to the fish, and carried do^\Ti to a con- 

 siderable depth by its tail. After a minute or so, 

 he arose to the surface, and was taken up along 

 with his companions into another boat. 



Some boats of the Aimwell, on the 26th May, 

 being in pursuit of whales, harpooned one. When 

 struck, this individual only dived for a moment, 

 and then rose again beneath the boat, struck it in 

 the most vicious manner with its tail and fins, stove, 

 upset it, and then disappeared. The crew, seven in 

 number, got on the bottom of the boat ; but the un- 

 equal action of the lines, which remained entangled 

 with the boat, rolled it over occasionally, and thus 



