210 THE WHALEMAN'S ADVENTURES. 



away, a stormy morning dawned, and still no 

 boat appeared. 



For several days they sailed in circles round 

 the spot, but all in vain. The boat was either 

 destroyed by the whale, or swamped by the bil- 

 lows of the stormy night, or, as it floated day after 

 day upon the desert waste of the Pacific, one 

 after another of the crew, emaciated with thirst 

 and famine, dropped down and died. 



Another, a sperm whaler, the bark Harriet, 

 of Freetown, Captain Durfee, when cruising on 

 the line, lowered her boats one day for sperm 

 whales. The first and third mates had each 

 secured a whale, and made them fast alongside, 

 when they returned to assist the second mate, 

 who was fast to another. They came up with him 

 about nine o'clock at night, and succeeded in 

 killing the whale. They could then see the 

 ship ; but it soon began to blow, and they were 

 obliged to lay by the whale all night. In the 

 morning the ship was not in sight, it still blow- 

 ing a gale, and raining hard. They lay by the 

 whale three days, when they ventured to stand 

 off to the westward, in hopes of falling in with 



