NARROW ESCAPE OF A WHALING CREW. 161 



by which we fortunately evaded a blow which appeared to 

 be aimed at the boat. Another boat then advanced, and an- 

 other harpoon was struck, but not with the same result, for 

 the stroke was immediately returned by a tremendous blow 

 from the fish's tail. The boat was sunk by the shock, and 

 at the same time whirled round with such velocity that the 

 boat-steerer was precipitated into the water on the side next 

 to the fish, and carried down to a considerable depth by its 

 tail. After a minute or so he arose to the surface, and was 

 taken up along with his companions into another boat." 



"In one of my earliest voyages," observes the same 

 writer, " I remarked a circumstance which excited my high- 

 est astonishment. One of the harpooners struck a whale : it 

 dived, and all the assisting boats had collected round the 

 fast boat before it rose to the surface. The first boat that 

 approached it advanced incautiously. It rose with unex- 

 pected violence beneath the boat, and projected it and all 

 the crew to the height of some yards into the air. It fell on 

 its side, and cast all the men into the water; one was some- 

 what injured, but the rest escaped." 



In the year 1804, the ship Adonis^ being in company with 

 several others, struck a large whale off the coast of New 

 Zealand, which became furious, and destroyed nine boats 

 belonging to the different vessels, and then escaped. It was 

 eaptured afterwards, however. Many harpoons of various 

 vessels were found in its body. 



This whale was extensively known to the fishermen un- 

 der the name of "New Zealand Tom." 



Sometimes the rope to which the harpoon is attached 

 gets carried off, at a prodigious rate, by a whale in its efforts 

 to escape, and the boat is carried far out to sea, and exposed 

 to fearful perils. The annals of the whale fishery have 

 many thrilling stories of wonderful escapes in such instances. 

 A very remarkable instance occurred in connection with the 

 sliip Independence, Captain Belair. While cruising in thr 



