BOATS DRAGGED AFAR AWAY. 145 



at length right toward the captain's boat, which, 

 li observing, waited in silence for his approach, 

 without moving an oar, so that the "young 

 bull" came close by his boat, and received the 

 blow of the harpoon some distance behind his 

 " hump," and so near to the ship as to be seen 

 by all on board. 



The whale appeared quite terror-struck for 

 a few seconds, and then, suddenly recovering 

 itself, darted off like the wind, and spun the 

 boat so quickly round when the tug came 

 upon the line, that she was within a miracle 

 of being upset. But away they went, " dead 

 to windward," at the rate of twelve or fifteen 

 miles an hour, right against a " head sea," which 

 flew against and over the bows of the boat with 

 uncommon force, so that she at times appeared 

 to be ploughing through it, making a high bank 

 of surf on each side. 



The second mate having observed the course 

 of the whale and boat, managed to waylay 

 them; and when they came near to him, which 

 they speedily did, "a short warp" was thrown, 

 and both boats were soon towed at nearly the 



K 



