228 WHALING AND FISHING. 



coming within dart. This play continued half an 

 hour or more, and our utmost efforts were required 

 at times to keep the boat from being capsized, so 

 iwiftly did he drag her around. 



" If we only had a loose boat here now, to lance 

 him, or engage his attention for a moment," mut- 

 tered Barnard, whose berth at the steering oaj 

 was just now of the most unpleasant. 



" Blast the ugly beast, Barnard, we'll have to 

 give a little more line the boat came near being 

 capsized that last round," said the mate. 



For a moment, indeed, this had been deemed 

 inevitable, but by instinctively crowding over to 

 the upper side, and by the activity of the boat 

 steerer with his steering oar, we were saved from 

 that mishap. 



"There, we're loose by all that's devilish!" was 

 Barnard's exclamation as the boat suddenlv ceased 

 to whirl round, and our line floated loosely on the 

 water. The whale, as though knowing he was 

 released, immediately started off at a speed which 

 rendered all chase useless. He had gotten the 

 line into his mouth which was wide open all the 

 time, and with the constant strain it had chafed in 

 two against the rough skin on his jaw. 



With disappointed looks we watched our whale. 

 He made good headway from us, and at last turned 

 flukes at the distance of a mile, still heading from 

 as. 



"I did not know but he would come back, and 

 give us another chance," remarked the mate. 



