THE AMERICAN WHALEMAN 239 



sharp, however, and I hoped to be able to. cut. Wate^twen- 

 chance, when the whale slacked a little, I dived for the line, 

 missed it, caught a bight, and got on the boat again. I 

 looked back, and could see the heads of my crew as they 

 were raised on the sea. They soon would pass from sight, 

 and I felt sick at their peril. After several efforts I suc- 

 ceeded in righting the boat, but it came over on top of me. 

 I clutched at the smooth bottom in a vain effort to secure a 

 hold. It glided over and away from me. When I came to 

 the surface she' was three or four feet from me, and going 

 faster than before. I almost gave up ; I was almost tuck- 

 ered out. Just then a line touched my hip ; it made me al- 

 most leap from the water as I thought of being tangled in 

 the line. But on seizing it, I found it was the boat-warp, 

 and with its aid I drew up to the bow, and after considera- 

 ble effort was able to get into the boat, and creep forward 

 and cut the line with the boat-hatchet. Then I was done 

 for. I lay back against the cuddy-board, and shut my eyes 

 to catch a minute's- rest ; but what could I do, in my water- 

 logged boat without oar or sail, for the poor fellows to wind- 

 ward ? Captain B , I an't ashamed to own it, but I 



don't believe that 'it was all sea-water that flooded my eyes 

 in that moment of helplessness. God save them, thought I, 

 for they seem past human help. Just then the voice of the 

 mate came over the sea, ' Hold on, Captain West ; I am at 

 hand .!' I was as much surprised as though my prayer had 

 been answered, and the Lord's angels had come from heaven 

 to save us, for when I had last swept the horizon there was 

 nothing in sight except the distant ship. The mate pulled 

 up, and took me on board ; I then found that the cook had 

 been lost, and the after^oarsman was lying insensible on the 

 thwarts. I ordered the boat directly to the ship for restor- 

 atives for the exhausted man, and sent back for the stove 

 boat. The second and third mates meantime had got a good 



