SOUTH SEA FISHERY. 173 



was broken off by the force of the blow and floated 

 to the suiface. The whale was then observed to 

 rise a short distance from the ship, and to come 

 ■with apparently great fury towards it, striking one 

 of the bows with its head "wdth amazing force, and 

 so completely stared it in. The ship of course im- 

 mediately filled, and fell over on her side ; in which 

 dreadful position the poor fellows in the boats saw 

 their only home, and many hundred miles distant 

 from the nearest land ! On returning to the ■s\Teck, 

 they found the few who had been left on board, 

 hastily congregating in the remaining boat, in which 

 tliey had scarcely taken refuge when the vessel cap- 

 sized. With much difficulty they obtained a scanty 

 supply of provisions from the wreck, their only sup- 

 port for the long and dreary passage before them to 

 the coast of Peru, Avhither they endeavoured to 

 make their Avay. Three only of the whole crew 

 survived; the remainder having perished under 

 unheard of sufferings and privations, over which we 

 willingly di-aw a veil. These tliree were found in 

 a state of stupefaction, allowing their boat to drift 

 along where the winds and waves listed. One of 

 the survivors was the master : by kind and careful 

 attention they were eventually rescued from the 

 jaws of death. 



The flensing or " cutting in" process is somewhat 

 peculiar. On being attached to the side of the ves- 

 sel, a frame- work is thro^s^Ti over the fish, and a strap 

 of blubber is cut in a spiral direction, which being 

 raised by certain purchases, turns the fish round as 



