162 
CHASE AND CAPTURE 
ship may be sailing gently along over the smooth ocean* 
every thing around solemnly still, with the sun pouring 
its intense rays with dazzling brightness ; suddenly* 
the monotonous quietude is broken by an animated 
voice from the mast-head, exclaiming “there she spouts . 53 
The captain starts on deck in an instant, and inquires 
“where away ?” but perhaps the next moment every 
one aloft and on deck can perceive an enormous whale 
lying about a quarter of a mile from the ship, on the 
surface of the sea, having just come up to breathe— his 
large “hump 55 projecting three feet out of the water, 
when at the end of every ten seconds the spout is seen 
rushing from the fore-part of his enormous head, followed 
by the cry of every one on board, who join heart and 
soul in the chorus of “there again !” keeping time with 
the duration of the spout, But while they have been 
looking, a few seconds have expired— they rush into the 
boats, which are directly lowered to receive them — and 
in two minutes from the time of first observing the 
whale, three or four boats are down* and are darting 
through the water with their utmost speed towards their 
intended victim, perhaps accompanied with a song from 
the headsman, who urges the quick and powerful plying 
of the oar, with the common whaling chant, of 
“ Away my boys, away my boys, ’t is time for us to go.” 
But while they are rushing along, the whale is 
breathing, they have yet perhaps some distance to pull 
before they can get a chance of striking him with the 
harpoon. His “ spoutings are nearly out,” he is about 
