THE SEA-SERPENT. 
27 
gave chase, for a great reward had been of¬ 
fered for it. “ Out with the boats ! hurrah for 
the snake ! Look ! look ! o’er the sea his head 
he’s raising. Whoever gets him his fortune will 
make, and a blaze of glory he ’ll end his days in. 
Out with the toats ! — its something like fishing, 
to fish for a fish six hundred feet long ! ” While 
some on the shore most devoutly were wishing, 
that they had Thor’s bait and his fish-line strong, 
with which he nearly caught the snake over two 
thousand years ago, when Eymer thought it best 
to take care of his boat, — with a single blow he 
cut the line, and let him go. 4 
Pull, my hearties, you in the boat where the 
bow-man poises the bright harpoon ! Every man 
there, with his heart in his throat, hopes to see 
fun with the serpent soon. (Those men’ were 
Nantucket whalemen old, who had sailed the sea 
both far and near, and oft to their friends in 
Lynn had told what they’d do if the serpent 
came that year.) Like lightning the steel from 
his sure hand glances, — they’ve struck him, — 
