362 TEE CRUISE OF TEE " CACEALOT." 



dared expect, came to pass. The school, as if with one 

 impulse, hauled up on their course four points, which 

 made them head direct for the western verge of the 

 Solander ground, and — what was more important to us 

 — made our coming up with them a matter of a short 

 time. We made the customary signals with the upper 

 sails to our friends to the northward, who recognized 

 them immediately, and bore down towards us. Not 

 only had the school shifted their course, but they had 

 slackened speed ; so that by four o'clock we were able 

 to lower for them at less than a mile distance. 



It was an ideal whaling day — smooth water, a brisk 

 breeze, a brilliant sun, and plenty of whales. I was, as 

 became my position, in the rear when we went into 

 action, and hardly hoped for an opportunity of doing 

 much but dance attendance upon my seniors. But 

 fortune favoured me. Before I had any idea whether 

 the chief was fast or not, all other considerations were 

 driven clean out of my head by the unexpected apparition 

 of a colossal head, not a ship's length away, coming 

 straight for us, throwing up a swell in front of him 

 like an ironclad. There was barely time to sheer to one 

 side, when the giant surged past us in a roar of foaming 

 sea, the flying flakes of which went right over us. 

 Samuela was " all there," though, and as the great 

 beast passed he plunged a harpoon into him with such 

 force and vigour that the very socket entered the 

 blubber. It needed all the strength I could muster, even 

 with such an aid as the nineteen feet steer-oar, to swing 

 the boat right round in his wake, and prevent her being 

 capsized by his headlong rush. 



For, contrary to the usual practice, he paused not an 

 instant, but rather quickened his space, as if spurred. 

 Heavens, how he went ! The mast and sail had to come 



