356 THE CRUISE OF THE "CACHALOT.'' 



the breakers about half a mile to the westward. Imme- 

 diately a boat was lowered, a double allowance of line put 

 into her, and off they went to the valuable flotsam. 

 Dangerous in the highest degree was the task of getting 

 near enough to drive harpoons into the body ; but it was 

 successfully accomplished, the line run on board, and the 

 prize hauled triumphantly alongside. This was the whale 

 they had now brought in. We shrewdly suspected that 

 it must have been one of those abandoned by the un- 

 fortunate vessels who had fled, but etiquette forbade us 

 saying anything about it. Even had it been, another 

 day would have seen it valueless to any one, for it was by 

 no means otto of- roses to sniff at now, while they had 

 certainly salved it at the peril of their lives. 



When we returned on board and repeated the story, 

 great was the amazement. Such a feat of seamanship was 

 almost beyond belief; but we were shut up to believing, 

 since in no other way could the vessel's miraculous escape 

 be accounted for. The little, dumpy, red-faced figure, 

 rigged like any scarecrow, that now stood on his cutting- 

 stage, punching away vigorously at the fetid mass of 

 blubber beneath him, bore no outward visible sign of a 

 hero about him ; but in our eyes he was transfigured — a 

 being to be thought of reverently, as one who in all those 

 qualities that go to the making of a man had proved 

 himself of the seed royal, a king of men, all the more 

 kingly because unconscious that his deeds were of so 

 exalted an order, 



I am afraid that, to a landsman, my panegyric may 

 smack strongly of gush, for no one but a seaman can 

 rightly appraise such doings as these ; but I may be per- 

 mitted to say that, when I think of men whom I feel glad 

 to have lived to know, foremost among them rises the 

 queer little figure of Paddy Gilroy. 



