CAPTURING THE WHALE. 101 



mendous fury, that both boat and men are exposed 

 to a common destruction. 



The moment that the wounded whale disappears, 

 a jack or flag is displayed in the boat ; on the sight 

 of which, those on watch in the ship give the 

 alarm by stamping on the deck, accompanied by 

 the continued shout of " a fall, a fall." At this 

 signal the sleeping crew are aroused, jump from 

 their beds, rush upon deck, with their clothes tied 

 in a string in their hands, and crowd into the boats. 

 With a temperature at zero, should a, fall occur, the 

 crew would appear on deck, covered only with their 

 under garments, in the anticipation of dressing 

 themselves, in part at least, as the boats are lowered 

 down, though sometimes they are disappointed, and 

 cannot get the process accomplished for a length of 

 time afterwards. 



The first and usual effort of the fast-fish is to 

 escape from the boat by sinking under water, 

 plunging with rapid flight under some neighbouring 

 mountain of ice, or into the deep abyss. When 

 fleeing from his pursuers, and then darting at the rate 

 of eight or ten miles an hour, the greatest care must 

 be used, that the line to which the harpoon is at 

 tached may run off readily along with him. Should 

 it be entangled for a moment, the whale would draw 

 the boat beneath the waves. Sometimes, however, 

 to retard its motion, it is usual for the harpooner 

 to cast one or more turns of the line round a kind 

 of post, called the bollard, which is fixed near the 

 stern of the boat for the purpose ; and such is the 



