162 NARROW ESCAPE OF A WHALING CREW. 



Pacific Ocean, a whale was seen, and two boats were sent ta 

 capture it. The harpoon was fixed, and the boats were 

 soon out of sight of the ship. An hour or two passed away, 

 when suddenly another whale rose in the water, only a few 

 yards from the vessel. The temptation to effect its capture 

 was too strong for the captain, who ordered the remaining 

 boat to be lowered, and, leaving but one man and two boy» 

 to take care of the ship, sprang into the boat with the rest 

 of the crew. The harpoon was plunged into this whale also^ 

 and they were carried with the speed of the wind about 

 fifteen miles from the ship. Then the whale plunged per- 

 pendicularly into the depths of the ocean. It was not long 

 before they saw him, fathoms deep in the crystal waters,, 

 rushing up with open jaws to destroy the boat. By skilfully 

 evading the attack, they escaped twice ; but the third time, 

 as the monster rose, he struck the boat in the centre of the 

 keel, scattering the fragments and the crew over the waves, 

 and then, plunging into the deep, disappeared. The captain 

 and the men were now in the water, clinging to the pieces 

 of the demolished boat. They were many miles from the 

 ship, and could not be seen from the deck. The other boats 

 were gone they knew not where. The hours passed slowly 

 away, as they were drifting along at the mercy of the waves, 

 until six o'clock in the evening. 



The sun had now disappeared behind the distant waves, 

 and a dreary night was settling down over the ocean. Just 

 then they saw in the distance one of the absent boats re- 

 turning to the ship. It was, however, far off, apparently 

 beyond the reach of their loudest cries, and their hopes 

 again fell. The boat at length drew nearer, and they re- 

 doubled their shouts ; and at length they were heard, taken 

 from the water, and carried almost lifeless to the ship. 



The utmost care is requisite in " paying out" the rope 

 when the whale is harpooned, so that no impediment occurs. 

 The safet}^ of the boat's crew depends upon the watchful- 



