THE AMERICAN WHALEMAN. 63 



CHAPTER V. 



The Aurora Borealis, and Explanation. Coleridge's Mistake in the "An- 

 tient Mariner." The Mother Carey's Chicken. Ben moralizes on this 

 little Bunch of Feathers. Captain Folger's Luck. The Devil no Match 

 for a Gale of Wind off Cape Horn when the Skipper is bound to carry. 

 The Cape doubled, and we come on Cruising-ground. Boats' Crews 

 Watches established. Idle Time on Cruising-ground. The Length of 

 Cruises. Fasten to our first Whale. Crew behave well; the Whale 

 killed. Disappointed in Size of Whale. 



"Ar times the ship was almost on her beam-ends, and the 

 sea was making clean breaches over the bows and waist. 

 Great surges would leap in the air and drop on her deck, 

 making our timbers, to the very keelson, twist and tremble. 

 The poor ship groaned and complained like a sick man. 

 Masses of ice, too, swept across with the water and carried 

 away the rail and planking of the bulwarks. Suddenly the 

 overborne ship righted and rolled easily on an even keel. So 

 close were we under the lee of a great iceberg that we rode 

 as if we were in a harbor ; but the roar of the storm was all 

 around and above our heads. We drew slowly ahead, and 

 came out into the storm again, but as far as we could see 

 there was open water, and we felt as though we were saved. 

 Toward morning it cleared away, and in the lull of the 

 storm we could hear the puff of whales as they were mak- 

 ing south for the jcy wall. Now and then a gleaming light 

 would play along the front of the great wall, and bring ev- 

 ery crag and peak into radiant relief against the jet-black 

 sky. Old Captain Davis said it was a beacon-light to guide 

 every creature that sought its shelter. 



