150 WHALING AND FISHING. 



" Stern all back water back water, every 

 man ! " and the infuriated beast made desperate 

 lunges in every direction, making the white-water 

 fly almost equal to a whale. 



We could now see the whole shape of the croii- 

 fcrire, as, in his agony and surprise, he raised him 

 self high above the surface. We all recognized 

 at once the Hippopotamus, as he is represented in 

 books of natural history. 



Our subject soon got a little cooler, and giving 

 a savage roar, bent his head round until he grasped, 

 the shank of the iron between his teeth. With 

 one jerk he drew it out of his bleeding quarter, 

 and shaking it savagely, dove down to the bottom. 

 The water was here but about two fathoms deep, 

 and we could see the direction in which he was 

 traveling along the bottom, by a line of blood, as 

 well as by the air bubbles which rose to the sur- 

 face as he breathed. 



" Give me another iron, Charley, and we'll not 

 give him a chance to pull it out next time." 



The iron was handed up, and we slowly sailed 

 in the direction which our prize was following 

 along the bottom. 



" Here's two or three of them astern of as," 

 said the boatsteerer. 



Just then two more rose, one on either side of 

 the boat, and in rather unpleasant proximity, and 

 before we had begun to realize our situation, the 

 wounded beast, unable any longer to stay beneath 

 the surface, came up tc breathe just ahead. 



