THE AMERICAN WHALEMAN. 188 



diameter of the body. When this performance is observed 

 from the mast-head, it is announced by the cry of " There go 

 flukes !" On our cruising-ground this is a certain indication 

 of sperm-whale, as the finback does not turn flukes. The 

 right whale is never found so far from shore arid off sound- 

 ings, and the humpback and sulphur-bottom whales are sel- 

 dom seen on sperm-whale ground. The sperm-whale always 

 descends in this manner when undisturbed by boats, wheth- 

 er in the act of feeding or on its passages. Speaking of the 

 speed of the sperm-whale, and the extreme regularity of its 

 movements, George N. Covill, an old whaling captain of New 

 Bedford, says that he has followed a sperm-whale in a free 

 wind with the yards squared in, and every thing set that 

 would draw, the ship making eight to ten knots, without 

 gaining on it for twelve hours of light. During this time 

 it never varied its time of staying down a single minute, nor 

 the number of spouts, and it did not vary from a straight 

 course by the fraction of a point. I have it from other cap- 

 tains that, having ascertained the course and rate of speed 

 of a whale in the afternoon's chase, they have followed on 

 during the night, and raised him again on return of light. 

 As a measure of speed, a boat of the St. Lawrence, Captain 

 Edward M. Baker, fastened to a right whale that ran dead 

 to leeward, towing the boat. The ship followed with a full 

 top-sail breeze ; yet in four hours the following ship was lost 

 to sight, although the day was entirely clear. Finally the 

 line was cut, and the whale allowed to go without a lance in. 

 When the sperm-whale first comes up, or when she blows 

 with the nose a little submerged, as in rough weather, or 

 whenever circumstances favor the entrance of a portion of 

 water into the great respiratory canal, the spout is plainly 

 visible in the form of a dense white mist, lighter in color 

 than the surrounding water, as seen from the mast-head of 

 the ship, but darker, and cloud-like, against a clear horizon, 



