THE RACE. 107 



At one o'clock, by the sun, we ate our dinner, 

 consisting of a biscuit and a pint of water per 

 man vowing internally, and taking our empty 

 stomachs to witness, never again to get into a 

 whaleboat without previously filling our pockets 

 with provisions. 



At two we saw the last of the boats, and shortly 

 afterward the royals of our ship faded away in 

 the dim distance, leaving us quite alone with oui 

 huge friends, who were still going along at the 

 same rapid pace, and puffing away like so many 

 Mississippi steamers. 



On, on, on, we were borne, seemingly as though 

 never to stop. Now the school would slack a lit- 

 tle in their speed, and we would haul up to lance. 

 Then they would start up again, and for half an 

 hour at a time we would sit still, singing songs, or 

 devising plans whereby we might circumvent our 

 wary enemy. 



" Be jabers, it is much better to sit here idle, 

 than to be sweating at the oars, as the other boys 

 are doing," said an Irish Yankee, who pulled the 

 tub oar. " An, be gorra, it's our first whale, any 

 how, let them talk as they will." 



" It's not our whale till we kill him, Paddy; 

 they don't count whales till they are tried out and 

 stowed down," remarked the mate. 



" If that's the case," was the answer, " it's time 

 we were getting a nearer view of him than we've 

 had yet." 



The mate evidently thought so too. Wearied 



