122 OFF CAPE COD. 



and it is evident that the lance has failed 

 to explode. Still the whale must be 

 seriously injured. We strain our eyes in 

 every direction for the next blowing, for 

 a wounded whale is generally obliged to 

 come up very often to breathe. Soon we 

 see a whale blow an eighth of a mile off 

 our starboard bow, and the man at the 

 look-out declares it to be the wounded 

 whale. He knows it, he says, because 

 there is " something queer about his 

 spout" So after him we tear, and for 

 at least an hour continue to pursue him. 

 At last the captain, in great disgust, and 

 with difficulty repressing his angry feelings 

 towards the man at the masthead, declares 

 we are after the wrong whale, and might 

 as well return home as follow him out 

 to sea any further. So we turn around, 

 considerably crestfallen, having given up 

 all hope of ever seeing the wounded whale 

 again. In the meantime I retired to the 

 cabin for a nap, having made up my mind 

 that whaling was over for the day. Before 

 long, however, I am aroused by a great 



