STRIKING A FINBACK. 223 



" I motioned to the boatsteerer to lay the boat 

 i-ound, so that with the little headway she had 

 she would glide on him and give me a fair dart. 

 As he came within reach I put out my utmost 

 (Strength and sent an iron deep into his bilge. 



" He never stopped to kick, but putting his 

 head on a level with the water's edge, started off 

 at such speed as I don't believe whale-boat ever 

 went before. 



" Mast and sail were carried straight over the 

 stern, and as the boatsteerer, in obedience to my 

 cry, held in the line, before I could grasp the 

 boat-hatchet and cut line, we were half full of 

 water. With such force was the boat dragged 

 through the water that she leaked like a sieve from 

 the strain. This specimen of a finback's running 

 powers satisfied me fully." 



It was on a calm and beautiful day, a week 

 before we saw the long wished-for Seychelles, that 

 the captain, who was taking a walk around the 

 vessel, noticed the man at the foreroyal- masthead 

 gazing placidly down upon deck, instead of keep 

 ing his eyes on the waste of waters before him. 



" There are no whales down here, Henry," re 

 marked he, by way of reminder of his duty. 



"Well, captain," drawled out Henry, who was 

 s good-natured and stupid a fellow as ever lived 

 " there are none up here." 



The captain grinned, as did all who heard the 

 reply. Scarce a minute had elapsed, however, 



