404 Fishes. 
As soon as the Whale is struck, the third man in the 
boat holds up his oar, with something on the top, as a 
signal to the ship ; at the sight of which the man who is 
appointed to watch gives the alarm to those that are 
asleep, who instantly let fall their other four boats, which 
hang on the tackles, two at each side, ready to let go at 
a minute's warning, all furnished with six men each, 
harpoons, lances, lines, &c. Two or three of these boats 
row to the place where the AVhale may be expected to 
come up again; the others to assist the boat that first 
struck it with line ; as the Whale will sometimes run 
out three more boats' lines, all fastened to each other, for 
when the lines of the first boat are almost run out, they 
throw the end to the second to be fastened to theirs, and 
the second boat does the same to the third, and so on. 
In this manner line is supplied to such an extent that 
a large Whale has been known to carry off three miles 
of it. 
A Whale, when he is first struck, will run out above a 
hundred fathoms of line, before the harpooner is able to 
take a turn round the boat's stern ; and with such swift- 
ness that a man stands ready to throw water on the line 
to quench it, in case it should take fire, which it frequently 
does. There was, many years ago, a boat to be seen in 
the South Sea Dock at Deptford, the head of which was 
sawed off by the swiftness of the line running out. The 
harpoon would be of but little avail in the destruction of 
this animal ; but part of the rowers, either at the first 
onset, or when, in order to fetch his breath, he rises to 
the surface and discovers himself to view, throwing aside 
their oars, and taking up their very sharp lances, thrust 
them into his body, till they see him spurt the blood 
through the blow-holes, the sight of which is a sign of 
the creature's being mortally wounded. The fishermen, 
upon the killing of a Whale, are each entitled to some 
small reward. After the Whale is killed, they cut all 
the lines that were fastened to it, and then cut off the 
tail ; upon this it instantly turns on its back ; and in this 
manner they tow it to the ship, where they fasten ropes 
to keep it from sinking ; and, when it is cold, begin to 
cut off the blubber. 
