CAUSES OF ILL-SUCCESS. 343 



close of the voyage that he becomes aufait in the 

 discharge of his duties. By this time the golden 

 opportunity has passed, and, but a few months re- 

 maining, he strives to make up by rashness what he 

 lacks in skill, exposing himself and crew in situa- 

 tions against which his better judgment, in cooler 

 moments, would revolt ; but this is a losing game, 

 as his crew, who, with equal opportunities and equal 

 intelligence, well know when a whale is approached 

 in the proper manner, and, following the precept 

 that self-preservation is the first law of nature, hesi- 

 tate to pull anywhere and everywhere, without satis- 

 fying themselves that they are right, which they 

 would not if they had full confidence in their officer. 

 Hence, the want of a perfect understanding between 

 the boatheader and crew is another prolific source 

 of accidents. To sum up, every day increases the 

 ditficulties and dangers presented to those whose 

 calling is the pursuit of the whale : the fish are either 

 becoming much less numerous, or else the}^ are 

 retreating to the frozen North or South, where the 

 climate forbids man's encroaching. They are also 

 becoming more wary, and it is only by the most careful 

 management that a boat can approach so as to strike 

 them; they taking the alarm at the least variation in 

 the motions of the waves, and the slightest noise 

 being sufiicient to alarm them. Formerly, if we are 

 to believe tradition, such was not the case ; and 

 certainly the following anecdote, which, I engage, 

 will be told for many years to come by men who will 

 attest to its perfect reliability, will, to some minds — 

 though I must confess they will be of small caliber 



