WHALING IN A CALM. 163 



approach him unperceived. The others remained 

 till, while we pulled aft the sheet, and let the boat 

 mn down toward him. 



The sea was quite smooth; there was just 

 enough ripple to drown the noise of the boat, and 

 icarcely sufficient breeze to fill our sail. The 

 whale was slowly forging ahead, his hoarse deep 

 toned spout sounding strangely over the quiet 

 waters. We were over twenty minates making 

 our way to him. In this time, having nothing to 

 do, all eyes were directed to the motions of the 

 fish. 



He came blindly on, that part of his head show- 

 ing above the water, giving one the idea that he 

 had been sawed square off in front. He did not 

 advance in a direct line, but made a number of 

 little alterations in his course, evidently for the 

 purpose of guarding against an enemy in any 

 direction. Every few minutes, too, he would stop 

 altogether, and cautiously lift his head out of 

 water, expressing the action of listening for a 

 noise, just as plainly as it could be expressed. 

 Hearing nothing, he would again advance on his 

 course. 



The length of time we consumed in our ap- 

 proach, as well as the extreme caution necessary 

 on such a quiet, calm day, made it a scene and 

 time of great excitement to us all. We were 

 gradually but surely nearing him. Now the mate 

 raised his hand, a signal to the? boatsteerer to 

 seize his iron. We were sitting on our thwarts, 



