His CAPTORS. 193 



Mask thrown off. A worthy Windfall. 



to steer almost directly for the whale / This 

 opened the eyes of the Orion ; for our yards were 

 hardly trimmed before that ship squared her 

 yards, and came running down directly across our 

 track, and in a few minutes the Lupin hauled 

 her wind, and came creeping up to windward. 



But it was of no use. The Orion was just 

 in time to see Mr. Hopkins strike his harpoon 

 into the whale, and take possession of the prize 

 in the name of the good ship Cremona, of New 

 Bedford ! And it was not long before we had 

 the whale alongside, and forthwith commenced 

 " cutting in" upon this noble specimen of the 

 class Mammalia, which proved to be an eighty- 

 barrel whale, and was worth to us twenty-four 

 hundred dollars. 



By the time we had made fast to our prize, 

 the Orion was within speaking distance. Evi- 

 dently chagrined at the success of our maneu- 

 ver, she lavished no compliments upon our en- 

 terprise, and soon resumed her former course. 

 In about an hour or so the Lupin came up to 

 inquire the news, but soon made sail after the 

 Orion ; and before night, both were out of sight 

 to the leeward, and our oil was mostly boiled 

 out and cooling, to stow away below. 

 N 



