174 
CHASE AND CAPTURE 
day before by some other ship. It was greatly different 
in its actions to most other large whales, because it never 
went steadily upon one course. If he “ peaked his 
flukes,” or went down going to the southward, we ex- 
pected he would continue that course under water, but 
when he again rose perhaps he was two or three miles 
away from the boats to the northward ; in this sort of 
manner he dodged us about until near four p.m., at which 
time the men were dreadfully exhausted from their ex- 
ertions in the chase, which had been conducted under a 
broiling sun, with the thermometer standing in the shade 
at 93°. About half-past four, however, Captain Swain 
contrived, by the most subtle management and great 
physical exertions, to get near to the monster, when he 
immediately struck him with the harpoon with his own 
hands ; and, before he had time to recover from the 
blow, he managed with his usual dexterity to give him 
two fatal wounds w T ith the lance, which caused the blood 
to flow from the blow-hole in abundance. The whale, 
after the last lance, immediately descended below the 
surface, and the captain felt certain that he was going to 
“ sound,” but in this he was much mistaken — for a few 
minutes after his descent he again rose to the surface 
with great velocity, and striking the boat with the front 
part of his head threw it high into the air with the men 
and everything contained therein, fracturing it to atoms 
and scattering its crew widely about. While the men 
were endeavouring to save themselves from drowning 
by clinging to their oars and pieces of the wreck of the 
boat, the enormous animal was seen swimming round 
