THE PACIFIC OCEANS', 2o5 



cated by the watch calling out aloud in a peculiar 

 tone, " There she spouts !" a cry which fails not to 

 produce a general rush on deck of all hands. The 

 captain eagerly asks, "Whereaway?" The position 

 of the prey is pointed out, while at every fresh 

 spouting the watch, accompanied by every individual 

 on board who has caught sight of the object, vocife- 

 rates, "There again!" When the spoutings are out, 

 and the Whale descends, the elevation of the tail 

 into the air is announced in the same manner by 

 " There goes flukes !" The reason of these announce- 

 ments appears to be, that the times of the animal's 

 motions may be accurately marked by the proper 

 officers, though they may not see them themselves, 

 as affording an unfailing criterion by which to judge 

 of his future movements. On the first signal beins 

 given, the boats, which are always kept in complete 

 readiness at the ship's side, are lowered, and the men 

 take their places with joyous alacrity. If not too 

 far off, they strain every nerve to arrive at the 

 animal before his spoutings are out, which in a large 

 bull Whale may be about ten minutes. Should they 

 be unable, however, to effect this, they endeavour to 

 mark his direction of diving, and station themselves 

 near the spot where they expect he will break water. 

 On his reappearance, the boats are rowed up as 

 silently as possible, and the foremost harpooner darts 

 his weapon with all his force into its side. The 

 instant this is done he cries, "Stern all!" and the 

 boat is withdrawn with precipitation. The Wliale, 

 writhing with the agony, dives perpendicularly, 

 drawing the line of the harpoon swiftly through its 



