. 
336 Fisnmne in AmertIcAN WATERS. 
ing the end of Anticosti, and several game-looking boats row- 
ing away from her, increased our anxiety, as the sailors said 
that we were in the midst of numerous shoals of commercial 
whales, including the “fenners” and “hump - backs.” The 
white pectoral fin of the sulphur was seen to rise at intervals, 
receding in distance, when all at once two huge black masses 
arose before us and spouted. They proved to be a mother 
and her calf, of the hump-back family. Nearer and more 
near approached the boats from the whaler; and, after the 
whales rose to spout, as they descended the boats quickened 
their speed toward where they expected the next rise. This 
was repeated several times, until at last, just as one of the 
monsters rose, the man at the bow of the nearest boat plunged 
the harpoon deep in his body near the heart. 
‘Laugh at fear! 
Plunge it deep, the barbed spear! 
Strike the lance in swift career! 
Give him line! give him line! 
Down he goes through the foaming brine.” 
The instant rush of the infuriated fish drew the boat hissing 
through the waters at a speed which soon hid it from our 
view, rendering the sight really sublime; and when adding 
that the mother whale followed, lashing the waves with her 
tail and leaping like a salmon, the reader may picture to his 
imagination—fishing ! 
The mother whale swam numerous times round her calf, 
trying to entice it seaward away from its pursuers; but its 
streneth slowly failing with fatigue and loss of blood, it rose 
to spout. Then might be seen the mother’s tender solicitude 
for her young, as she all but caressed it and coaxed it to fol- 
low her out of harm’s way, and several times persuasively 
swam a little distance, and then returned to assist it. 
The boatmen were meantime hauling in line and coiling 
it carefully in a tub made for the purpose, when, like light- 
ning, off the whale started again, more rapidly, apparently, 
than at first. The mother cavorted and disported around 
