THERE SHE BLOWS 99 



re the repetition although in a very moderate 

 tone, of the first cry, assured them that there was 

 in reality a spout seen. Casting his eyes in the 

 direction indicated by the masthead-man, the 

 mate exclaimed at once, with a disappointed 

 growl, 



" It's a fin-hack, you leather-head, there's no 

 prize offered for such." 



"I told him so," grumbled the boatsteerer who 

 stood at the main-masthead, " but he would not 

 believe anything I said, thinking I wanted to claim 

 the prize for myself." 



Two days thereafter, as the mate stepped into 

 the rigging, at daybreak, to take a preliminary 

 survey, he shouted, in the utmost excitement, 

 "there blows! there! there blows!! by the great 

 horn spoon, boys I a whole school just under our 

 lee bow." 



All hands were upon deck in a moment, and the 

 greater part of the crew at once jumped into the 

 rigging, anxious to see at last a veritable sperm 

 whale spout, and half prepared from the mate's 

 excited manner, to see the whales themselves 

 close aboard. 



About two miles and a half off, on our lee bow, 

 a small school of what the captain, examining 

 them with a good telescope, declared to be large 

 whales, lay disporting themselves on the waves, 

 now lazily rolling" fin up," now "lob-tailing,' 1 

 now making the white water fly, as they threw 

 their vast bodies clear of their native element 



