94 W H A L I N (5 A N 1) FISHING. 



tranced that she will lie nearly stationary, with 

 the helm hard down. By wearing around once 

 or twice during the night, the actual progress 

 made, spite of the shortened sail, is as far as 

 possible rendered nugatory, so that at daylight 

 the following morning, when sail is again set, 

 the vessel is as near as may be in tbe place where 

 she was hove to on the preceding evening. Thus 

 a thorough search is kept up, two men being 

 constantly stationed at the mast-head, while 

 frequently the captain or mate will sit aloft for 

 hours at a time, keeping an additional look out. 



With all this vigilance and precaution, however, 

 it is evident that the search for whales must be 

 something after the manner of looking for a needle 

 in a hay-stack; and unless the cruising ground is 

 very limited in extent, which is by no means 

 always the case, the discovery of a school may be 

 properly counted under the head of the chapter 

 of accidents. 



When cruising, the day is passed in the most 

 utter idleness. All hands are roused up at six 

 o'clock, before which time it is not day in the 

 tropics. Those who had the last or morning 

 watch jump aloft, and loose the sails while the 

 others are dressing. As soon as all hands are 

 on deck, every sail is swayed up. The masthead- 

 men then take their station, and the word is 

 passed to "wash down, fore and aft." 



After the decks are thoroughly scrubbed, washed 

 off, and dried, the cook announces breakfast, and 



