AN ANGRY WHALE. Ill 



the captain, slipping the sheet ; and fortunately, 

 just in time to escape the angry rush of the whalej 

 who glided beneath the surface, and rose again at 

 a short distance astern. 



The boat was laid round, and a few strokes of 

 the oars brought her again within his reach, when 

 he repeated his former action, and it was only by 

 the most strenuous exertion that the crew suc- 

 ceeded in backing out of his track. This time, 

 however, the boatsteerer had managed to plant 

 an iron in him, and a shout announced that he was 

 not given up yet. Eut a groan of disappointment 

 succeeded the shout, as the line suddenly slack- 

 ening, announced that the iron had drawn, and 

 the whale was " loose," going off with two irons 

 and two tubs of line fast to him, and spouting 

 blood at that. 



It was now quite dark, and we were not sorry 

 to be taken off our wreck into the captain's boat. 

 Meantime the other two boats and the ship had 

 neared us, and after half an hour's pulling we 

 arrived on board, where a good supper, (for a 

 whaleship), awaited us. 



" Well, Paddy," said the mate next morning, aa 

 we were washing down the deckg, " what wiil y n 

 take for your share of our first u\ale ? " 



