ACTUAL WARFARE. OUR FIRST WHALE. 37 



with bis right hand on his first iron, which lay ready, 

 pointing over the bow in a raised fork of wood called the 

 "crutch." 



All of a sudden, at a motion of the chief's hand, the 

 peak of our mainsail was dropped, and the boat swung 

 up into the wind, laying "hove to," almost stationary. 

 The centre-board was lowered to stop her drifting to 

 leeward, although I cannot say it made much difference 

 that ever I saw. Now what's the matter, I thought, 

 when to my amazement the chief addressing me said, 

 "Wonder why we've hauled up, don't ye?" "Yes, sir, 

 I do," said I. " Wall," said he, " the fish hev sounded, 

 an* 'ef we run over 'em, we've seen the last ov'em. So 

 we wait awhile till they rise agin, 'n then we'll prob'ly 

 git thar' 'r thareabouts before they sound agin." With 

 this explanation I had to be content, although if it be no 

 clearer to my readers than it then was to me, I shall 

 have to explain myself more fully later on. Silently we 

 lay, rocking lazily upon the gentle swell, no other word 

 being spoken by any one. At last Louis, the harpooner, 

 gently breathed "blo-o-o-w;" and there, sure enough, 

 not half a mile away on the lee beam, was a little bushy 

 cloud of steam apparently rising from the sea. At 

 almost the same time as we kept away all the other 

 boats did likewise, and just then, catching sight of the 

 ship, the reason for this apparently concerted action 

 was explained. At the main-mast head of the ship was 

 a square blue flag, and the ensign at the peak was being 

 dipped. These were signals well understood and 

 promptly acted upon by those in charge of the boats, 

 who were thus guided from a point of view at least one 

 hundred feet above the sea. 



** Stand up, Louey," the mate murmured softly. I 



