258 THE OCEAN. 
self; but, just as he had parted from the ship, going 
down a little to leeward, a tremendous shout arose 
from the people in our own boats, joined with a loud 
murmuring from the rest of the boats’ crews; for 
the Whale, not having had all its spoutings out, had 
now risen again to finish them, and was coming to 
windward at a quick rate, right towards our ship. 
The captain saw his favourable situation in a mo- 
ment, and passing quickly to the bows of the boat, 
he stood to waylay him as he came careering along, 
throwing his enormous head completely out of the 
water, for he was now quite ‘gallied.. He soon 
came, and caught a sight of the boat just as he 
got within dart; the vast animal rolled himself 
over in an agony of fear, to alter his course; but 
it was too late; the harpoon was hurled with ex- 
cellent aim, and was plunged deeply into his side, 
near the fin. 
“ As the immense creature almost flew out of the 
water from the blow, throwing tons of spray high 
into the air, showing that he was ‘fast,’ a triumph- 
ant cheering arose from those in our own boats, as 
well as from those in the ship, accompanied by ex- 
clamations loud and deep, and not of the most fa- 
vourable kind to us, from all the rest. But onwards 
they all came, and soon cheerfully rendered assist- 
ance to complete its destruction; but which was not 
done, however, without considerable difficulty, the 
Whale continuing to descend the moment either of 
the boats got nearly within dart of him. But after 
an hour’s exertion in this way, six out of the ten 
boats which were now engaged got fast to him by 
