His CAPTORS. 197 



Greek meets Greek. John Bull and Brother Jonathan. 



blows ! She's an eighty -barrel right ahead. 

 Give way, my boys !' &c., we were soon along- 

 side the Frenchman. The Frenchman was too 

 polite to oppose us, and we passed him with 

 ease. 



" The English boat was now about ten rods 

 in advance, and the whale about one and three 

 fourths of a mile. Now came the trial. The 

 English boat was manned by the same number 

 of stout, active hands as our own, and, seeing 

 us pass the other boats, their whole strength 

 and force were put to the oar. We gained on 

 them but slowly ; and such was the excitement 

 of the race, that we were in danger of passing 

 over where the whale had last ' blowed.' At 

 this moment the English boat-steerer noticed 

 the manner in which I had placed my left hand 

 and weight against the oar. Instantly laying 

 hold of his own in like manner, his first effort 

 broke it short at the lock. Thus disabled, he 

 gave us a hearty curse, and we shot past him 

 like a meteor. 



" We had been so excited with the race that 

 we had lost sight of the whale. As luck would 

 have it, at this instant she ' blowed' but a few 

 rods ahead. In a moment we were fast, and 



