72 THE WHALEMAN'S ADVENTURES. 



head foremost into the deep, and as the head 

 descends, the tail rises with, a graceful curve 

 above the water, and for a moment is seen in 

 nearly a vertical position, and then slowly dis- 

 appears. All now in your ship is eagerness 

 and engrossment in the motions of your game, 

 and every man is intent at his station. The 

 tubs of lines have just been put into the boats ; 

 the harpoons and lances adjusted in their proper 

 places, ready for action. 



"Lower away!" at length cries the mate, 

 and every boat is instantly resting on the water, 

 manned by their respective crews. " Give way, 

 my lads !" is the next you hear, and the boats 

 are leaping as if alive toward the point where 

 the whale was last seen. All orders are now 

 given in a low tone ; every man is doing his 

 utmost, and the boats are springing over the 

 smooth swells, each striving to be headmost in 

 the chase. " Now we rested, with our oars 

 apeak," says a sailor, narrating an actual scene 

 like this, "for the whales, who had gone down, 

 to break water again. Presently they were up 

 and blowing all around, and very much scattered, 



