WHALES AND WHALING 



Meanwhile other boats are rowing " full tilt," to get in 

 a shot at the prize, the more so that, now the animal has 

 appeared above water, it is seen that the harpoon has 

 fallen too low too near the belly to cause a really 

 serious wound. The only hope is to get up with him 

 again, or else to be content to let him tire himself out, a 

 proceeding which may last all day and possibly all night. 

 One boat ahead of the rest seeks a convenient spot from 

 which to throw, for a whale is not an animal to be 

 "headed off in front" at pleasure. Guided by the lie of 

 the tail, the cox steers for where he can be moderately 

 sure of safety when the whale starts forward, and then 

 shouts to his harpoorier. The spear flashes through the 

 air and seems as though it would catch the monster above 

 the fin-joint. 



But before the point can reach him, the whale, having 

 now drawn the first line taut enough to have found that 

 there is resistance at the end of it, rolls forward without 

 sinking, and the second harpoon is lodged considerably 

 nearer the tail than the fin. The tortured animal wanted 

 but this fresh spur to goad him into a headlong rush for- 

 ward ; there is a yell from the first boat as it is dragged 

 almost out of the water for an instant, and then, at the 

 full length of its cable, is towed along at break-neck 

 speed. 



" Chuck us a line, sharp ! " cries the cox to the boat 

 nearest to him as his own flies past her. The harpooner 

 in this boat is prepared for the emergency and throws his 

 painter deftly into the hands of the other cox, who thus 

 joins up the two little vessels. If there should be a 



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