148 THE WHALE HUNTERS 



'We'll go for the big bull at the front, Jamie, and take 

 him by the head,' said Thomas in a voice that was only 

 just audible. 'Just a few silent strokes, men, to keep us 

 between his eyes.' 



Now the sperm whale has its small eyes set in the sides of 

 its broad head and is unable to see right ahead any more 

 than it is able to see right astern ; and it was probable that 

 this big bull leading his family of wives and children away 

 from the noise that it had heard was quite unaware of the 

 boat that waited in its path. 



Hamm's boat, however, had taken up a similar position 

 in front of one of the smaller female whales grouped on 

 either quarter of their leader and the old bull must have 

 seen this craft as it came within the vision of his left eye, 

 for he suddenly swerved a httle to the right. 



'Give way together,' cried Thomas and the paddles bit 

 the water shooting the craft towards the oncoming whale. 

 Jamie's two barbed harpoons flew through the air in quick 

 succession and sank into the big fellow's back. He 

 sounded at once and the whale-Hne hummed as it flew 

 out of the bow. Thomas checked the line and the 

 friction became so great that smoke rose from the logger- 

 head. 



'Wet the line!' cried Thomas and the nearest man 

 plunged his cap into the sea and dashed water over the 

 loggerhead and into the tub. 



Glancing round he quickly ascertained the general 

 state of the hunt. Hamm's boat had fastened to the 

 female whale which had not adopted the usual tactics of 

 sounding but was taking the craft on a 'Nantucket sleigh- 

 ride' at great speed over the sea. Hodge's boat had 

 caught up with the stragglers of the school and the burly 

 first mate was standing on the bow platform throwing his 

 lance in the manner known as 'pitchpolling'. Unable to 

 bring his boat within harpoon range of the fast swimming 

 whales he had taken the harpooner's place in the bow and 



