THE AMERICAN WHALEMAN. 273 



Feb. 9. At 2 P.M. we raised a school of small whales ; at 3 

 we lowered waist-boat, went on and fastened to a cow. The 

 rest of the school brought-to around her, and in a short time 

 each boat was fast to its own whale. The captain put a 

 lance into the life of a loose whale, and she went into her 

 flurry before the others were killed. For a time the scene 

 was truly exciting. The whales kept close together, and at 

 times, one or more of the boats were beset by the bewilder- 

 ed creatures. They seemed to have lost their wits, and lay 

 about, heads and points, not often using their flukes. Five 

 were killed, and three hauled alongside by dark. The other 

 two were lost during the night. All were small cows. The 

 only peculiar incident of the day was the thorough bringing- 

 to of the school. A great number might have been killed 

 had we got among them earlier in the day. 



Feb. 10. The whales caught yesterday are so small that 

 it seemed almost like working around black-fish in cutting 

 them in. At noon the bodies were stripped, and the heads 

 hoisted in on deck. They will not make more than fifteen 

 barrels each much less than is sometimes bailed from the 

 case of one good whale. While we were heaving in the last 

 head whales were raised close aboard. The mate's boat was 

 badly broken by a little fellow, afterward killed by the third 

 mate. Our boat picked up the swimming crew and brought 

 them on board. As we had the cutting-tackle rove, we cut 

 in to-day's whale before supper, and hoisted the head on 

 deck beside the three others. It would be a fine chance for 

 a student of comparative anatomy to determine questions of 

 great interest in the structure of these great masses. After 

 supper we lighted the try-works on very thin blubber, and 

 will cut the heads to-morrow. One of our men, named 

 Beers, is very ill. He came from America with us, and has 

 been acting steward since the Selango desertion. He has 

 been off duty since we came into this trying climate. 



12* 



