CAPTURING OF A WHALE. 35 



parts, and in a short time, when we were deemed 

 near enough, the captain gave orders to " Stand 

 by and lower" for one a little more than half 

 a mile to windward. 



Three boats' crews pulled merrily away, glad 

 of something to stir their blood, and with eager 

 hope to obtain the oily material wherewith to 

 fill their ship and make good their " lay." The 

 whale was going leisurely to windward, blow- 

 ing every now and again two or three times, 

 then " turning tail," " up flukes," and sinking. 

 The boats " headed" after him, keeping a dis- 

 tance of nearly one quarter of a mile from 

 each other, to scatter (as it is called) their 

 chances. 



Fortunately, as the oarsmen were " hove 

 up/' that is, had their oars a-peak, about the 

 place where they expected the whale would next 

 appear, the huge creature rose hard by the cap- 

 tain's boat, and all the harpooner in the bow 

 had to do was to plunge his two keen cold 

 irons, which are always secured to one tow-line, 

 into the monster's sides. This he did so well 

 as to hit the "fish's life" at once. It was the 



D2 



