A VISIT TO SOME STRANGE PLACES. 117 



of ownership. When between the Cosmoledos and Astove, 

 the next island to the northward, we sighted a '* solitary " 

 cachalot one morning just as the day dawned. It was 

 the first for some time — nearly three weeks — and being 

 all well seasoned to the work now, we obeyed the call 

 to arms with great alacrity. Our friend was making a 

 passage, turning neither to the right hand nor the left 

 as he went. His risings and number of spouts while up, 

 as well as the time he remained below, were as regular as 

 the progress of a clock, and could be counted upon with 

 quite as much certainty. 



Bearing in mind, I suppose, the general character of 

 the whales we had recently met with, only two boats were 

 lowered to attack the new-comer, who, all unconscious 

 of our coming, pursued his leisurely course unheeding. 



We got a good weather-gage of him, and came flying 

 on as usual, getting two irons planted in fine style. But 

 a surprise awaited us. As we sheered up into the wind 

 away from him, Louis shouted, " Fightin' whale, sir; 

 look out for de rush ! " Look out, indeed ! Small use in 

 looking out when, hampered as we always were at first 

 with the unshipping of the mast, we could do next to 

 nothing to avoid him. Without any of the desperate 

 flounderings generally indulged in on first feeling the 

 iron, he turned upon us, and had it not been that he 

 caught sight of the second mate's boat, which had just 

 arrived, and turned his attentions to her, there would 

 have been scant chance of any escape for us. Leaping 

 half out of water, he made direct for our comrades with 

 a vigour and ferocity marvellous to see, making it a 

 no easy matter for them to avoid his tremendous rush. 

 Our actions, at no time slow, were considerably hastened 

 by this display of valour, so that before he could turn 



