142 WHALING AND FISHING. 



In every face the most intense and anxious excite- 

 ment shone forth. Oars in hand, sleeves and 

 trowsers rolled up, feet firmly braced against the 

 stretchers, and hats pushed down over our brows, 

 we sat in grim silence, the compressed lips and 

 flashing eyes of our crew plainly saying that we 

 would not be beaten without at least a struggle. 



The fact is, the ironical smiles of our gamming 

 acquaintances had stung us to the quick, and we 

 were determined to show them that to beat us 

 was not so easy as they chose to believe. 



Minute after minute, (and every minute seemed 

 half an hour), passed away in anxious waiting, 

 and yet no whales appeared. 



" So many boats in the water at once, gallied 

 them, I guess," said Barnard, in a desponding 

 tone of voice. He had wagered some tobacco 

 against a lot of sperm whale's teeth, that if there 

 were opportunity for a race, we would not be beaten. 



11 There's a ripple," whispered the mate just 

 then, and he gently laid the boat round. 



" And there blows, boys, pull your best ! " he 

 said, yet speaking only in a hoarse whisper. 



The whales were beyond our rival's boat, and 

 she had therefore the advantage of us by half a 

 dozen boats' lengths. Part of this was, however, 

 lost again, by their negligence in not seeing t>ie 

 whales as soon as we did, and we had the boat 

 fairly under headway, almost as soon as they were 

 laid round in the proper direction. 



Now ensued a race, such as I never before 01 



