12 
HISTORY OF THE WHALE. 
when the boat disappeared beneath the waters, with 
all the line attached to it. The crew were saved. 
The whale was pursued, and when overtaken, three 
harpoons were darted at him. The line of two other 
boats was then run out, which broke, and enabled the 
whale to carry off, in all, four miles of rope, valued, 
with the boat, at $600. The daring fishers again 
gave chase, and at last succeeded in capturing him, 
but not till he had run out 10,440 yards, or about six 
miles of line. 
After the whale is struck with the lance, blood, 
mixed with oil, streams copiously from his wounds 
and from the blow-holes, dyeing the sea to a great 
distance, and sprinkling and sometimes drenching 
the boats and crews. The animal now becomes more 
and more exhausted ; but, at the approach of his dis- 
solution, he often makes a convulsive and energetic 
struggle, rearing his tail high in the air, and whirling 
it with a noise which is heard at the distance of seve- 
ral miles. At length, quite overpowered and exhaust- 
ed, he lays himself on his back or side, and expires. 
The whale, being dead, is lashed alongside the 
ship. Then, three or four men, with irons on their 
feet, to prevent them from slipping, get on the whale, 
and begin to cut out pieces of blubber of about three 
feet thick, and eight long, which are hoisted into the 
ship. As soon as they have cleared the whole sur- 
face, which does not exceed a fourth or fifth of the 
animal, the body is turned over, by means of ropes 
and pulleys, and another part, yet untouched, is pre- 
sented. This being also cleared, the mass is again 
