



569 



in the open sea in search of whales, we saw two or three 

 individuals, when at the distance of about twenty miles 

 from the middle hook of the Foreland. The weather 

 was fine, and no ice in sight. A boat was despatched 

 towards one of the fish we saw, which was immediately 

 struck. The men were already considerably fatigued, 

 having been employed immediately before in a laborious 

 work, but they of course, proceeded in the boats to the 

 chase of the fast fish. It had made its appearance be- 

 fore they all had left the ship. Three boats then ap- 

 proached it, unluckily at the same moment. Each of 

 them so incommoded the other, that no second harpoon 

 could be struck. The fish then took the alarm, and ran 

 off towards the east, at the rate of about four miles per 

 hour ; some of the boats nave chase, and others took hold 

 of the fast-boat, and were towed by it to windward. 

 When two boats, by greater exertions on the part of their 

 crews, had got very near the fish, and the harpooners 

 were expecting every moment to be able to strike it, it 

 suddenly shifted its course under water, and in a few 

 minutes discovered itself in a southerly direction, at 

 least half a mile from any boat. It then completed a cir- 

 cuit round the fast-boat, with the sweep of nearly a mile 

 as a radius, and though followed in its track by the boats, 

 it dived before any of them got near it, and evaded them 

 completely. When it appeared again, it was at least 

 half a mile to windward of any of them, and then con- 

 tinued arduously advancing in the same direction. At 

 various times during the pursuit, the boats having the 

 most indefatigable crews, reached the fish within ten or 

 fifteen yards, when apparently aware of their design, it 

 immediately sunk and changed its course ; so that it in- 

 variably made its next appearance in a quarter v. here, no 

 boats were near. 



' The most general course of the whale being towards 

 the wind, it soon withdrew all the boats many miles from 

 the ship, notwithstanding our utmost efforts, under a press 

 of sail, to keep near thorn. 



'After six or seven hours' pursuit, without success, 

 the sky became overcast, and we were suddenly envel- 

 oped for some time in the obscurity of a thick fog. In 



VOL.I. NO. xxiv. 52 ,* 



