THE AMERICAN WHALEMAN. 335 



high above the surface, and the white foam was combing 

 from their square fronts. On they came, dashing for us at 

 twelve knots. Our boat danced on the cresting waves and 

 sprang toward them at fully ten knots. Thus we were com? 

 ing together at race-horse speed. With the right knee firm- 

 ly braced in the close-fitting cleet, the left braced on the star- 

 board timber of the thwart, I was welded to the swaying, 

 rushing boat ; and with the pole of barbed iron well poised 

 in the left hand, and the right laden with spare coils of the 

 line, grasping the after-end of the iron pole, the boat-steerer 

 stood to take his chance. 



One short sea off, the grand old heads were out, beating 

 back the waves, as breakers off a black rock. The steam of 

 the spout almost reached the boat. ' Heading squarely be- 

 tween them, the captain exclaimed, " Take that fellow on the 

 larboard bow, and jump overboard if you miss him !" "Ay, 

 ay, sir." And the two black walls on either hand rose at 

 the bow, half filling the boat with the surf, and blinding the 

 men with the acrid spray of the spout. The ear was dinned 

 with the rushing roar of many waters. There was little 

 time for thought, passing each other at the rate of twenty- 

 two miles an hour, or the whale's length in one and a half 

 seconds. The great hump rounded out not ten feet from 

 the eye, and irresistibly attracted the keen-edged harpoon. 

 At that moment all energy was concentrated in the blow, 

 and the iron was buried to its socket. No hand could be 

 quick enough to have caught the second iron, as the boat, 

 arrow -like, shot ahead. Two thundering flaps of the im- 

 mense flukes astern of the steering-oar telegraphed the news 

 to the distant school that an accident had befallen one of the 

 family. The boat was thrown around, and the fight com- 

 menced with a running sperm-whale. 



But I say to you readers who sit cozy in the snug com- 

 forts of home, a man takes a long breath after he has passed 

 through that " raging can.iwl." 



