336 Fishing in'Ameeican Watees. 



ing the end of Antioosti, and several game-looking boats row- 

 ino- 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. ISTearer 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 I 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 

 strength 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 



