238 THE OCEAN. 



the loss of time of bringing the ship to. But 

 although we managed matters as quietly and secretly 

 as possible, we found the moment our boats quitted 

 the ship's side, that all the others had been as vigi- 

 lant as ourselves, and had also lowered their boats 

 after the AVliale. The whole of them immediately 

 began the chase, nine boats in all, being three from 

 each ship. They all exerted themselves to the 

 utmost, and, as we expected, in vain ; for before any 

 of the boats had got even near him, the enormous 

 animal lifted his widely-expanded flukes, and de- 

 scended perpendicularly into the depths of the Ocean 

 to feed. Those in the boats, however, having noticed 

 his course, proceeded omvards, thinking the Whale 

 would continue to pursue the same direction under 

 water ; but, as he was going slowly at the time he 

 was up, they did not proceed more than a mile from 

 the place at which he descended, before they sepa- 

 rated about a hundred yards from each other, and 

 then, peaking their oars, all the men in each boat 

 stood up, looking in different directions, so as to 

 catch the first appearance of the spout, when the 

 Whale again rose to breathe. When an hour after 

 his descent had expired, the excitement among us 

 who were on board the ship, became wound up to its 

 highest pitch. The captain, who had remained on 

 board, ascended to the fore-top-gallant-yard to watch 

 the manoeuvres of the boats, and for the purpose of 

 the better ordering the signals to them, or working 

 of the ship. All those who were down after the 

 Whale appeared as feverish with anxiety as ourselves, 

 for every now and then they were to be seen shifting 



