254 THE OCEAN. 
of the boats had got even near him, the enormous 
animal lifted his widely-expanded flukes, and de- 
scended perpendicularly into the depths of the Ocean 
to feed. Those in the boats, however, having no- 
ticed his course, proceeded onwards, thinking the 
Whale would continue to pursue the same direction 
under water; but, as he was going slowly at the 
time he was up, they did not proceed more than a 
mile from the place at which he descended, before 
they separated about a hundred yards from each 
other, and then, peaking their oars, all the men in 
each boat stood up, looking in different directions, 
so as to catch the first appearance of the spout, when 
the Whale again rose to breathe. When an hour 
after his descent had expired, the excitement among 
us who were on board the ship, became wound up 
to its highest pitch. The captain, who had remained 
on board, ascended to the fore-top-gallant-yard to 
watch the manceuvres of the boats, and for the 
purpose of the better ordering the signals to them, 
or working of the ship. All those who were down 
after the Whale appeared as feverish with anxiety 
as ourselves, for every now and then they were to 
be seen shifting their position a little, thinking 
to do so with advantage; then they would cease 
rowing, and stand up on the seats of the boats, and 
look all round over the smooth surface of the Ocean 
with ardent gaze. But one hour and ten minutes 
expired before the monster of the deep thought 
proper to break cover; and when he did, then a 
rattling chase commenced with the whole of the 
boats, and they really flew along in fine style, some 
