THE AMERICAN WHALEMAN. 143 



becomes parallel with that of the whale a few feet distance 

 from him. The boat-header then has his chance to ply the 

 lance with deadly effect. If the harpoon is well forward 

 of the hump of the whale, the boat will run in comparative 

 safety, as the strokes of the tail will be behind the boat, 

 and the swing of the jaw in front. As long as the whale 

 continues running in a straight course on the surface, the 

 persistent boat will cling behind his fin as a bull-dog will to 

 the nose of an ox. His only escape is to run deep, or, by 

 suddenly milling or turning, to bring the boat in reach of 

 jaw or flukes. The duty of the bow-oarsman is arduous 

 when the whale is running fast, or there is a high sea. By 

 his own strength he must keep the glancing boat in its po- 

 sition, though drenched with the flying spray from the bow. 

 Should the strain wrench the wet line through his burned 

 hands, the blessings of the excited boat-header are poured 

 on his head with a vigor heard only in the rushing hiss of 

 this "Nantucket sleigh-ride." But the position is also in- 

 tensely interesting, as much of the time the oarsman rides 

 face on, and has the best and closest point for observing the 

 actions of a whale in his death fight. Generally it is the first 

 class in the school, and the tyro learns the a, b, c of whale- 

 catching, and he has but a step to the harpooner's place. 



In the glowing sunset the great creature was peacefully 

 anchored at the bow of our ship, and the Chelsea, with 

 foretop-sail aback, drifted quietly in sight of Payta, under 

 the shadow of the Cordilleras. Inspired by the incidents of 

 the day, the calm beauty of the night, and our new compan- 

 ions, it is not to be wondered at that the earlier watches 

 were spent in comparing experiences, and in the interchange 

 of opinions concerning the mysteries of the life we were 

 leading. 



Of course we talked of whales and their ways. As we 

 gathered in the forecastle, the plash of the waves on our 



