118 THE WHALEMAN'S ADVENTURES. 



whale was sounding very swiftly when the line 

 became entangled. The boat-steerer, who was 

 at his post in the stern of the boat, tending 

 the line, instantly threw the turn off the log- 

 gerhead, and the tangled part ran forward and 

 caught in the bow. The captain was seen to 

 stoop to clear it, and then at once disappeared. 

 The boat-steerer seized the hatchet, which is 

 always at hand, and chopped the line, with the 

 faint hope, that, when it slackened, the captain 

 could extricate himself. 



The accident being so sudden and dreadful 

 as almost to stupify the amazed crew, none of 

 them spake a word, but each eye was fixed upon 

 the sea with fearful interest. Several minutes 

 had elapsed, and the last hope was expiring, 

 when an object was seen to rise to the surface 

 a short way from the boat, which, though ex- 

 hibiting no sign of animation, was speedily 

 reached, and the body of the captain, apparently 

 lifeless, was lifted into the boat. It was evi- 

 dent, however, that vitality was not extinct, and, 

 to the joy of the little crew, symptoms of con- 

 sciousness became visible in a few minutes, and 



