OF THE SPERM WHALE. 
165 
again carefully into the tubs as it is drawn up. The 
whale is now seen approaching the surface ; the gurgling 
and bubbling water which rises before also proclaims that 
he is near ; his nose starts from the sea ; the rushing 
spout is projected high and suddenly, from his agitation. 
The “ slack ” of the line is now coiled in the tubs, and 
those in the “ fast ” boat haul themselves gently towards 
the whale ; the boatsteerer places the headsman close to 
the fin of the trembling animal, who immediately buries 
his long lance in the vitals of the leviathan, while, at the 
same moment, those in one of the other boats dart 
another harpoon into his opposite side, when “stern all” 
is again vociferated, and the boats shoot rapidly away 
from the danger, (s ee frontispiece ) . 
Mad with the agony which he endures from these fresh 
attacks, the infuriated “ sea beast” rolls over and over, 
and coils an amazing length of line around him ; he rears 
his enormous head, and, with wide expanded jaw, snaps 
at everything around ; he rushes at the boats with his 
head, “they are propelled before him with vast swiftness, 
and sometimes utterly destroyed. 
He is lanced again, "when his pain appears more than 
he can bear ; he throws himself, in his agony, completely 
out of his element ; the boats are violently jerked, by 
which one of the lines is snapped asunder ; at the same 
time the other boat is upset, and its crew are swimming 
for their lives. The whale is now free ! he passes along 
the surface with remarkable swiftness, “going head out;” 
but the two boats that have not yet “fastened,” and are 
fresh and free, now give chase ; the whale becomes ex - 
