NOTICES OP PERU. 



417 



I inquired of one who had been relating some exploits with 

 whales, whether he never felt that he was in danger. Why, 

 I always think, if I have a good lance, the fish is in most dan- 

 ger !" 



I asked another whether he had ever met with an accident. 

 I can't say exactly as how I have, though I came plaguy 

 near it once. You see we was off the coast of Japan, right 

 amona: a shoal of whales, and all hands was out in the boats 

 except me and the cook. I was lookin at the creaturs with the 

 glass, and saw one on 'em flirt her tail agin a boat, and it was 

 a caution to see the scatterment she made of her. All the boys 

 were set a swimmin, so the cook and me jumped into a boat 

 and picked 'em all up. Directly the fish blowed close to us, 

 and I took an iron and sunk it into her, and I know how to 

 strike a whale as well as any man, but the creatur canted the 

 wrong way, and I know how a sparm ought to cant, and comin 

 at us full tilt, with her jaws as wide open as a barn door, bit the 

 boat smack in two in the middle. Then she chawed up one end 

 on her, and by the time we got hold on the other, she come at 

 us agin, and making another bite, took me by the back betwixt 

 her teeth, and shook me as a puppy would a ball of yarn, and 

 I guess she would'nt have dropped me, if the mate had'nt come 

 up in another boat, and shoved in his lance till she was sicken- 

 ed I As good luck would have it, we was all picked up with- 

 out any accident, but I got five of her tooth prints in my back 

 to this day !" 



CHAPTER XXV. 



Geography of Peru — Repartimientos — Mita System — General La Mar — Ge- 

 neral Gamarra. 



The once extensive Empire of Peru, whose foundation by 

 the Incas is shrouded in the darkness of fable, and an uncer- 

 tain tradition, was bounded, at the period of the conquest, on 

 53 



