BOATS CUT LOOSE FROM A SPERM WHALE. 235 



lantern in the distance, and did not recover it 

 again until midnight, when we discovered the boats 

 coming toward us, with the dead body of the whale, 

 as we believed, in tow ; but were chagrined to lind 

 that they had cut from him, which, unavoidable aa 

 it was, was far from being pleasant, after the trouble 

 and pains-taking he had caused us. They stated, 

 that they were out of sight of the ship's light; that 

 the whale showed no more signs of exhaustion than 

 at sunset ; and, as the weather looked very threaten- 

 ing, there appeared to be no other recourse left them 

 but to return : so, after a consultation, in which all 

 hands were included, the line, not however without 

 many regrets, was severed, and the monster allowed 

 to go on his way, and die alone — his surviving more 

 than a few hours being out of the question. 



The bow-boat, after leaving the ship's side, pulled 

 in the direction where the boat-lights had last ap- 

 peared ; but it was not until after they had cut from 

 the fish, that they found the other boats, whose men, 

 from their fatiguing duty and benumbed members, 

 were not just then particularly delighted at the idea 

 of pulling ten or twelve miles back without refresh- 

 ment : they therefore hailed the arrival of the bow- 

 boat with acclamation. They hove up ; and, after 

 having satisfied their appetites, the bottle was passed 

 around, and each indulged in a hearty swig: then, 

 with renewed vigor, they bent to their oars, and 

 regained the vessel. 



This unfortunate result would not have occurred 

 had we had the least breeze, to keep anywhere in 

 the neighborhood of the boats ; nor, had there been 

 land anywhere within a reasonable distance, the 



