166 THE WHALE AND 



Dragging to Windward. The Bull Ambushed. 



The whale appeared quite terror-struck for 

 a few seconds, and then suddenly recovering 

 itself, darted off like the wind, and spun the 

 boat so quickly round, when the tug came upon 

 the line, that she was within a miracle of being 

 upset. But away they went, " dead to wind- 

 ward," at the rate of twelve or fifteen miles an 

 hour, right against a " head sea," which flew 

 against and over the bows of the boat with un- 

 common force, so that she at times appeared to 

 be plowing through it, making a high bank of 

 surf on each side. 



The second mate, having observed the course 

 of the whale and boat, managed to waylay 

 them ; and when they came near to him, which 

 they speedily did, " a short warp" was thrown, 

 and both boats were soon towed at nearly the 

 same rate as the captain's boat had been be- 

 fore. 



The captain was now seen darting the lance 

 at the whale, as it almost flew along, but he did 

 not seem to do so with any kind of effect, as 

 the speed of the whale did not appear in the 

 least diminished, and in a very short time they 

 all disappeared together, being at too great a 

 distance to be seen with the naked eye from 



