l.OSS OF A HAliPOONJili. 
123 
so long absent, had, on the outset, separated from 
their companions; and allured by the chace of a 
whale, and the fineness of the weather, they pro¬ 
ceeded until they were far out of sight of the ship. 
The whale they pursued led them into a vast 
shoal of the species : they were, indeed, so nume¬ 
rous, that their “ blowing” was incessant; and 
they believed they could not have seen less than 
a hundred. Fearful of alarming them without 
striking any, they remained for some time motion¬ 
less, watching for a favourable opportunity to com¬ 
mence an attack. One of them at length arose 
so near the boat of which William Carr was liar- 
pooner, that he ventured to pull towards it, 
though it was meeting him, and afforded but an 
indifferent chance of success. He, however, fatal¬ 
ly for himself, succeeded in harpooning it. The 
boat and fish passing each other with great rapi¬ 
dity after the stroke, the line was jerked out of 
its place, and, instead of “ running” over the stem, 
was thrown over the gunwale; its pressure in this 
unfavourable position so careened the boat, that 
the side sank below the water, and it began to 
fill. In this emergency the harpooner, who was 
a fine active fellow, seized the bight of the line, 
and attempted to relieve the boat, by restoring 
it to its place; but by some singular circumstance, 
which could not be accounted for, a turn of the line 
