478 A TIME TOR SHARP EYES AND READY ACTION. 
stcering-oar turns tlie boat as upon a pivot and guides 
her after the tautened line. 
‘‘I do not think that her speed at the first jump could 
have been less than thirty miles the hour; and onl}' think 
of a boat being dragged at that rate through the water! 
At times, I really believed that she was below tlie level 
of the sea; but so great was her speed, that the water, 
instead of pouring into her, was thrown from her gun- 
wales in curling masses, that left a wake very much like 
that of a young steamhoat. 
“i7o sooner was boat ITo. 1 thus fastened to old Gray- 
back, than Nos. 2, 3, and 4, all belonging to the same 
ship, dropped the silent paddles and, with their long, 
sweeping oars, took part in the exciting race ; while the 
remaining whales, as if conscious of the mishap which 
had overtaken their imprudent leader, rushed about in 
wild disorder, and, before recovering from their fright, 
another of their number had leaped bodily into the air, 
descended with a splash, and rushed wildly out to sea, 
with the barbed weapon in his side and the buoyant boat 
thundering along in his rear. 
“ There were now two boats fastened to their flying 
prizes, while some half-dozen others were pulling vigor- 
ously in various directions, intent upon cutting off one or 
the other of the monsters — should the opportunity present 
itself in one of their many turnings — and fastening a 
second harpoon in case the first should draw out. Old 
Grayback, however, seemed fully aware of the game that 
was being played, and evinced a decided indisposition 
to being ^ caught fouf a second time. He was now 
apparently cooled down b}^ his rtwo-forty’ pace, and 
