WHALING 533 



6 A.M. I was awakened by the mate coming into the main 

 cabin, and from my berth I hailed to know what was the matter. 

 The mate reported the ship was running, with a light breeze 

 on her quarter, under all plain sail and a balloon jib ; also 

 that ' three of them Bottleys had come along ' ; and as I had 

 arranged to try to drop a hand harpoon into any fish that 

 might be near enough, he had come down to pass the end 

 of the lines up from the line room to attach to a line which had 

 been coiled in a tub on deck for this purpose. When we started 

 for Lerwick the lines had been coiled down, as they came out 

 of the boats, in the line room, which stands just forward of the 

 stove in the main cabin. 



I jumped out of bed and helped the mate to tie up the two 

 skylights and pass the end of the line on deck ; but, thinking 

 Bottleys down in these latitudes a myth, I returned to my 

 bunk, and was almost asleep, when I was aroused by the 

 noise of the line running, and a yell of ' A fall ! a fall ! ' 



The position was extremely ludicrous, for my friend and 

 companion Mr. Grant in the berth opposite was shut in by the 

 line-room door, which, being made of bars of wood, gave him 

 the appearance of a wild beast at the Zoo, as, aroused by the 

 cry, he jumped hastily out of his bunk ; but I was in no better 

 position, for there was not time to put on any clothes, and owing 

 to the weather being extremely fine, there having seemed little 

 chance of my services as skipper being required suddenly on 

 deck, I had retired to rest undressed. 



In the meantime the line on deck was running merrily, and 

 any moment we might expect the lines to begin to run from 

 the line room ; however, by this time, the steward, Kilgallon, 

 appeared out of the pantry, much more respectable than his 

 master, and the mate had rejoined us ; so, directing them where 

 to stand, I took up a position in the door of my berth, and pre- 

 pared to do my best to keep the line clear of the cabin furniture. 



