98 VOYAGE TO SPITZBERGEX. 



obliged to pour water on the stem of the boat, to 

 prevent its taking fire by the intense friction of 

 the line. A hatchet is always at hand to cut the 

 line, should it chance to get entangled. A large 

 whale will sometimes run out the lines of two 

 boats.* As soon as a whale is struck, they hoist 

 a flag, or jack, in the boat, which being seen by 

 the ship, the crew all run about the decks crying 

 ".A fall, A fall? as much as to say, " He's 

 fast, HisfasC Immediately all hands, except a 

 few to take care of the ship, get into the boats 

 with great expedition, and repair to the place where 

 they expect the whale will rise to breathe. When 

 it appears, they strike it again, and so on till there 

 are sometimes three or four harpoons fast. When 

 the whale becomes fatigued, and is severely wound- 

 ed, it throws up water mixed with blood, and 

 immediately the whole boats surround the groan- 

 ing monster, and dispatch it with their spears. 

 At this moment, the sea, to a considerable dis- 

 tance, looks as if tinged with vermilion. In dy- 

 ing, the noise occasioned by the whale's lashing the 

 water with its tail and fins, is heard to a very great 

 distance. 



As soon as a whale is killed, it is towed by the 

 boats to the ship, and being made fast by tackles 



* Fifteen hundred fathoms. 

 F 5 



