THE AMEBIGAN WHALEMAK 29 



of Brazil. One day the ciy came from aloft, " There she 



blows !" " Where away ?" shouted Captain B , his gray 



eyes snapping with excitement. "Three points off lee 

 bow; blows; blows; four miles off, and sperm-whale." All 

 hands were now alive, the watch from below came on deck, 

 the captain sprang aloft, and a long-drawn shout came from 

 above, " There goes flukes !" as the whale went down. 



The excited crew were in the lee rigging, keeping a sharp 

 lookout, the boats having been cleared for lowering. The 

 captain ordered the maintop-sail aback. 



" Stand by to lower," he cried. " There she blows, close 

 aboard." 



The boats were awkwardly launched, the willing crews 

 tumbled in, and great confusion of oars ensued ; but in good 

 time we settled down to the work, and were fairly off in 

 pursuit of our first whale. A long chase it proved, and fruit- 

 less, although we had two fair darts. The mate's boat was 

 first on, and ours was second; but the hump seemed under 

 my bow-oar as we ranged across the corners of his flukes. 

 Owing to want of nerve, or awkwardness in the crew, how- 

 ever, the iron dart came back straight ; and so this fine whale 

 was left in the South Atlantic, to blow in peace. The cap- 

 tain took his failure in good part, and scolded less than we 

 expected. The evening's watch was an excited one. As' 

 hunters track back on the sport of the day, so we sought 

 reasons for our failure. The knowing ones were wise about 

 spermaceti, and we green hands learned much of forecastle 

 natural history in the evening's recital. Every mother's 

 son who had ever gone on to a whale had a yarn, and some 

 of those told were indeed " wonderfully and fearfully made." 



The enjoyments of the voyage — these I will describe, as 

 they show something of a whaler's life — in no slight degree 

 depend on the crews having some one skilled in the violin to 

 stir the dance on calm evenings. Generally the accoinplish- 



