FEOGBESS OF TEE " EUMIBACK" SEASON. 269 



head to go up to the chief village one morning. 

 So he retained me on board, while the other three boats 

 left for the day's cruise as usual. One of the mate's 

 crew was sick, and to replace him he took Abner out 

 of my boat. Away they went ; and shortly after break- 

 fast-time I lowered, received the captain on board, and 

 we started for the capital. Upon our arrival there we 

 interviewed the chief, a stout, pleasant-looking man of 

 about fifty, who was evidently held in great respect by 

 the natives, and had a chat with the white Wesleyan 

 missionary in charge of the station. About two p.m., 

 after the captain's business was over, we were returning 

 under sail, when we suddenly caught sight of two of 

 our boats heading in towards one of the islands. We 

 helped her with the paddles to get up to them, seeing 

 as we neared them the two long fins of a whale close 

 ahead of one of them. As we gazed breathlessly at the 

 exciting scene, we saw the boat rush in between the 

 two flippers, the harpooner at the same time darting 

 an iron straight down. There was a whirl in the waters, 

 and quick as thought the vast flukes of the whale rose 

 in the air, recurving with a sidelong sweep as of some 

 gigantic scythe. The blow shore off the bow of the 

 attacking boat as if it had been an egg-shell. 



At the same moment the mate stooped, picked up the 

 tow-line from its turn round the loggerhead, and threw 

 it forward from him. He must have unconsciously 

 given a twist to his hand, for the line fell in a kink round 

 Abner's neck just as the whale went down with a rush. 

 Struggling, clutching at the fatal noose, the hapless 

 man went flying out through the incoming sea, and in 

 one second was lost to sight for ever. Too late, the 

 harpooner cut the line which attached the wreck to the 

 retreating animal, leaving the boat free, but gunwale 



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