His CAPTORS. 165 



A. School of young Bulls. Harpoon in the Hump. 



with the " hair-breadth 'scapes and moving ac- 

 cidents" in the ordinary career of whalemen. 



One of a ship's company or officers in the 

 North Pacific, near the close of a day that had 

 been rather stormy, says that a school of young 

 bull whales made their appearance close to the 

 ship, and the weather having cleared up a lit- 

 tle, the captain immediately ordered the mate 

 to lower his boat, while he did the same with 

 his own, in order to go in pursuit of them. 



The two boats were instantly lowered, for 

 they were unable to send more, having had two 

 others " stove" the day before. They soon got 

 near the whales, but were unfortunately seen 

 by them before they could dart the harpoon 

 with any chance of success, and the conse- 

 quence was, that the school of whales separa- 

 ted, and went off with great swiftness in differ- 

 ent directions. One, however, after making 

 several turns, came at length right toward the 

 captain's boat, which he observing, waited in si- 

 lence for his approach, without moving an oar, 

 so that the " young bull" came close by his 

 boat, and received the blow of the harpoon some 

 distance behind his " hump," and so near to the 

 ship as to be seen by all on board. 



