258 THE OCEAN. 



self; but, just as he had parted from the ship, going 

 down a little to leeward, a tremendous shout arose 

 from the people in our own boats, joined with a loud 

 murmuring from the rest of the boats' crews ; for 

 the Whale, not having had all its spoutings out, had 

 now risen again to finish them, and was coming to 

 windward at a quick rate, right towards our ship. 

 The captain saw his favourable situation in a mo- 

 ment, and passing quickly to the bows of the boat, 

 he stood to waylay him as he came careering along, 

 throwing his enormous head completely out of the 

 water, for he was now quite ' gallied.' He soon 

 came, and caught a sight of the boat just as he 

 got within dart ; the vast animal rolled himself 

 over in an agony of fear, to alter his course ; but 

 it was too late ; the harpoon was hurled with ex- 

 cellent aim, and was plunged deeply into his side, 

 near the fin. 



" As the immense creature almost flew out of the 

 water from the blow, throwing tons of spray high 

 into the air, showing that he was 'fast,' a triumph- 

 ant cheering arose from those in our own boats, as 

 well as from those in the ship, accompanied by ex- 

 clamations loud and deep, and not of the most fa- 

 vourable kind to us, from all the rest. But onwards 

 they all came, and soon cheerfully rendered assist- 

 ance to complete its destruction; but which was not 

 done, however, without considerable difficulty, the 

 Whale continuing to descend the moment either of 

 the boats got nearly within dart of him. But after 

 an hour's exertion in this way, six out of the ten 

 boats which were now engaged got fast to him by 



