HISTORY OF THE WHALE. 97 



on the approach of its enemies, that whenever a boat passed 

 beyond its tail, it invariably dived. All endeavors, there- 

 fore, to lance it were in vain. The crews of the loose 

 boats being unable to keep pace with the fish, moored 

 themselves to the fast boats, and for some hours afterwards 

 all hands were constrained to sit idle, waiting for some re- 

 laxation in the speed of the whale. Its general course had 

 been to windward, but its changing enabled the ship, 

 which had previously been at a great distance, to join the 

 boats at eight, p. M. The vessel took one of the fast lines 

 on board with the view of retarding its progress. The 

 sails were lowered and furled, but after supporting the ship 

 for a few minutes, head to wind, the harpoon lost its hold. 

 The whale immediately set off to windward with increased 

 speed, and, for three hours, the ship could not again ap- 

 proach it. Another line was 4:hen taken on board, but 

 immediately broke. A fifth harpoon had previously been 

 struck, but its line was speedily cut. Various schemes for 

 arresting the speed of the fish were then resorted to, which 

 occupied close attention for nearly twelve hours ; but its 

 velocity was still such, that the master, who had himself 

 proceeded to the attack, was unable to approach suffi- 

 ciently near to strike a harpoon. After a long chase, how- 

 ever, he succeeded in getting hold of one of the fast lines, 

 and attached another line to it. The fish then fortunately 

 turned towards the ship. At four o'clock, p. M., thirty-six 

 hours after it was struck, the ship again joined the boats, 

 when, by a successful manoeuvre, they secured two of the 

 fast lines on board. The wind was blowing a moderately 

 brisk breeze, and the sails were lowered ; but notwith- 

 standing the resistance a ship thus situated must necessa- 

 rily have offered, she was towed by the fish directly to 

 windward, with a velocity of two knots, during an hour 

 and a half; and then, though the whale must have been 

 greatly exhausted, it beat the waters with its fins and tail 

 in so tremendous a way that the sea around was in a contin- 

 ual foam, and the most hardy of the sailors scarcely dared 



