226 WHALING AND FISHING. 



boats an opportunity for getting fast Out 

 chance was, however, likely to be the best, as t_ie 

 whale nearest us was approaching the boat, meet 

 Lag her head and head. 



" Paddle silently, boys," whispered the mate. 



We dipped our paddles into the water 'Trill. 

 long and easy sweeps, scarce breathing, for feui 

 of startling the whale who, occasionally spouting, 

 was surging slowly toward us. He was entirely 

 unsuspicious of our presence, and acted as though 

 half asleep. More than fifteen minutes elapsed 

 before we were sufficiently near to lay aside our 

 paddles fifteen minutes of eager excitement to 

 every one of us. 



The boat soo-n lost her headway, and now lay 

 almost motionless upon the water. The boat- 

 steerer, iron in hand, stood with his knee against 

 the lubber-chock. "We had resumed our seats, 

 but with one hand resting upon the oars, were 

 engrossed in watching the whales. The mate, in 

 the stern , having thrown the bight of the line 

 about the loggerhead, was now slowly laying the 

 bo.at around with his steering oar, to give Barnard 

 a oetter chance. 



On came the whale very slowly, I thought 

 every moment of delay increasing the excite- 

 ment. Every breath was held ; no one dared 

 move a jot. 



The dropping of a pin in the boat might almost 

 have been heard, and if heard would certainly 

 have excited numberless internal oaths, so fearfu) 



