AN EXCITING NARRATIVE. 405 



prevail, and it is converted into a rich and fertilizing 

 manure. 



Our chapter on the whale will fitly conclude with a few 

 stories of adventure and peril connected with the fishery. 



A writer in the Quarterly Review is responsible for the 

 facts embodied in the following narrative : 



A " school " of young bull- whales making their appear- 

 ance close to a whaling-ship in the North Pacific, the 

 captain ordered the mate to lower his boat, while he did 

 the same with his own, in order to hasten in pursuit of 

 them. The two boats were quickly in the water ; and 

 their crews plied the oar with such good will that they 

 soon drew near- the whales. Unfortunately the latter 

 took the alarm, and before the harpoon could be delivered 

 with any chance of success, took to flight in different 

 directions. One, however, after making several turns, 

 came right towards the captain's boat, which waited 

 silently for his approach, without moving an oar ; so that 

 the young bull passed close beside it, and received the 

 blow of the harpoon some distance behind his hump. 



For a few seconds it appeared terror-stricken ; then 

 recovering itself suddenly, darted off like the wind, and 

 spun the boat so quickly round, that when the pressure 

 came upon the line she was nearly capsized. But away 

 they flew to windward, at the rate of twelve or fifteen 

 miles an hour, right against a head sea, which dashed 

 against and over the bows of the boat with so much 

 fury that at times she seemed to be cutting a path through 

 it, with a high bank of foaming surf on either side. 



The second mate, observing the course taken by the 

 whale and boat, contrived to waylay them ; and on their 



