ABNERS WHALE. 71 



it happens. I've seen a fifty-bar'l bull make the purtiest 

 fight I ever hearn tell ov — a fight thet lasted twenty 

 hours, stove three boats, 'n killed two men. Then, again, 

 I've seen a hundred 'n fifty bar'l whale lay 'n take his 

 grooel 'thout hardly wunkin 'n eyelid — never moved ten 

 fathom from fust iron till fin eout. So yew may say, 

 boy, that they're like peepul — got thair individooal 

 pekyewlyarities, an' thars no countin' on 'em for sartin 

 nary time." I was in great hopes of getting some useful 

 information while his mood lasted ; but it was over, and 

 silence reigned. Nor did I dare to ask any more ques- 

 tions ; he looked so stern and fierce. The scene was very 

 striking. Overhead, a bright blue sky just fringed with 

 fleecy little clouds ; beneath, a deep blue sea with innu- 

 merable tiny wavelets dancing and glittering in the blaze 

 of the sun ; but all swayed in one direction by a great, 

 solemn swell that slowly rolled from east to west, like the 

 measured breathing of some world-supporting monster. 

 Four little craft in a group, with twenty-four men in them, 

 silently waiting for battle with one of the mightiest of 

 God's creatures — one that was indeed a terrible foe to 

 encounter were he but wise enough to make the best use 

 of his opportunities. Against him we came with our 

 puny weapons, of which I could not help reminding 

 myself that " he laugheth at the shaking of a spear." 

 But when the man's brain was thrown into the scale 

 against the instinct of the brute, the contest looked less 

 unequal than at first sight, for there is the secret of 

 success. My musings were very suddenly interrupted. 

 Whether we had overrun our distance, or the whale, 

 who was not ** making a passage," but feeding, had 

 changed his course, I do not know ; but, anyhow, he broke 

 water close ahead, coming straight for our boat. His 



