WHALING IN THE BAY. 123 



commotion on deck, and rushing up the 

 companion-way find that a whale whose 

 spout was flecked with blood has just been 

 seen not more than a quarter of a mile 

 away on our port bow. From this time to 

 the death of the whale I never saw such 

 excited men as those on board the steamer, 

 with the possible exception of the mate, an 

 old whaler, who seemed to be reasonably 

 cool. As for the captain, he appeared to 

 be the most excited man on board. Well, 

 we soon succeeded in getting another shot, 

 and this time, as before, the lance failed to 

 explode, and off goes the whale with un- 

 diminished speed. The next time he rises, 

 however, his spout is more deeply tinged 

 with blood than before. Again we steam 

 after him at full speed, and soon come up 

 alongside as he rises to blow. This time, 

 thinking the end is near, and fearing that 

 the whale will sink when dead, the captain 

 casts a harpoon into him. Off he rushes 

 with eight hundred feet of rope behind, 

 with the buoy attached to the rope dancing 

 along through the water at a very lively 



