376 The Story of the New England Whalers 



prize crew until morning. In the meantime, 

 however, the master, who had heard from some 

 of my men that I had permitted the master of 

 the Ocmulgee and his crew to land in their own 

 boats, came to me and requested permission to 

 land in the same manner. We were four or five 

 miles from the land, and I suggested to him that 

 it was some distance to pull. 



"'Oh, that is nothing,' said he; 'we whalers 

 sometimes chase a whale on the broad sea until 

 our ships are hull down and think nothing of it. 

 It will relieve you of us the sooner, and be of some 

 service to us besides.' 



"Seeing that the sea was smooth, and that 

 there was really no risk to be run, for a Yankee 

 whale boat might be made, with a little manage- 

 ment, to ride out an ordinary gale of wind, I con- 

 sented, and the delighted master returned to his 

 ship to make the necessary preparations. I gave 

 him the usual permission to take what provisions 

 he needed, the whaling gear belonging to his 

 boats, and the personal effects of himself and 

 men. He worked like a beaver, for not more 

 than a couple of hours had elapsed before he 



