A SNARL. 151 



11 Pull ahead a little ; let's get out of thib snarl. 

 Lay the boat around so now, stern all," and the 

 iron was planted deep in the neck of our victim. 

 WHh a roar louder than a dozen of the wild bulls 

 of Madagascar, the now maddened beast made for 

 the boat. 



Back water ! back, I say ! Take down this boat- 

 sail, and .item all ! Stern, for your lives, men ! " 

 as two more appeared by the bows, evidently pre- 

 pared to assist their comrade. He was making 

 the water fly in all directions, and having failed 

 to reach tl e boat, was now vainly essaying to 

 grasp the iron, which the mate had purposely put 

 into his short neck, so close to his head that he 

 could not got it in his mouth. 



" Stick oat line till we get clear of the school, 

 and then we'll pull up on the other side of this 

 fellow, and soon settle him with a lance." 



This was done, and as we again hauled upon the 

 still furious beast, the mate poised his bright 

 lance for a moment, then sent it deep into his 

 heart. With a tremendous roar, and a desperate 

 final struggle, of scarcely a minute's duration, our 

 prize gave up the ghost, and after sinking for a 

 moment, rose again to the surface, lying upon hia 

 ei'le, just as does the whale when dead. 



His companions had left us, and we now, giving 

 three cheers for our victory, towed the carcass to 

 the not far distant shore. It was luckily high 

 tide, and we got the body up to high water mark, 

 where the speedily receding waves left it ashore. 



