DASHING EXPLOIT OF A YANKEE. 179 



have read of, that came off in Delego Bay, South 

 Africa, a smooth nook of ocean much frequent- 

 ed a few years ago, by whalers, and ships from 

 different nations. A mammoth whale rose, and 

 was observed in those still waters at the same 

 moment, and about equi- distant from an Amer- 

 ican and an English ship. From both, the boats 

 were lowered, manned, and off in an instant 

 with the speed of the wind. 



The English, at first ahead, perceiving their 

 rivals gaining on them, wisely bore wide off 

 from their common game, in order to keep the 

 Americans out of reach of the whale. But when 

 the two boats were nearly abreast, the English 

 of course inside, one of the American sailors 

 sprang from his seat, and with extraordinary 

 agility hurled his ponderous harpoon right over 

 the English boat. Thrown with unwonted force 

 and precision, it struck the monster in a vital 

 part, and was buried to the socket. 



The English boat, thus strangely intercepted, 

 and balked of its prize, shrunk back under the 

 warp of its Yankee rival. The waves were soon 

 crimsoned with blood, and the daring American 



M2 



