CHAPTER VI.

A WHALE.

Ir was not till a week or two subsequent to the adventures detailed in the last chapter that we were favored with our first encounter. Several whales had been at various times visible to us at a distance, and some at closer propinquity, but either their remoteness, or intervention by others, prevented us from coming before now into contact with them.

Our vessel was cruising around the gulf, which as before remarked, is a favorite resort of the whale, at once capacious and sheltered, and abounding in its peculiar diet and chief article of nutriment, "squid ;" as before stated, a gelatinous substance composed of animalculæ. One afternoon, when we were so skirting the southern side, some five or six miles off, and while we were all quietly and inertly moving about deck, each performing some little task that did not prevent his thoughts roving o'er far distant scenes, our attention was suddenly and sharply aroused, and an interest awakened at the same moment to what was transpiring around, by a cry for concerted and immediate action. The quick, loud call of the lookout from the masthead, of "whales on the star

board bow!" followed by the stentorian orders of the captain, echoed by the under-officers of "man the boats!" acted like a shock of electricity from a galvanic battery upon us. A general arousing and hurry-skurry ensued. Every eye now lit with excitement, while every neck was stretched toward the offing whence proceeded the indications announced. In less time than is now occupied in relation, all were in their several places, awaiting nervously further behest from the powers that were.

It was soon decided, as evidently but a single specimen had appeared, not more than four of our boats-half the complement we had on handwere to be lowered. In or about the space of two instants more there were in the water three of them, manned by crews from our own men, and commanded respectively by the captain and the two mates-the fourth manned by the natives, and commanded by one of themselves, Old Sugar-loaf. The crew, all told, of the former, i. e., our own men being six in a boat, the crew of the latter, i. e., of the natives, consisting of three men and three women, with a couple of "picaninnies" in the hoods of two of the latter, and a pair of their inseparable companions, the dogs, crouching under the thwarts. It would, I suppose, be strictly correct, instead of using the expression "manned," with regard to this boat of the natives, to say that it was "manned and womaned," but the inaccuracy, particularly as it is acknowledged,

may be condoned-the females among them being equally expert in the management of the oar with the males.

The whale we could plainly see, about four hundred or five hundred yards ahead, and sending up a double jet d'eau six or seven feet high, (apparently as much for idle amusement as a smoker of the veteran type,) his puffs of fume, the same curling over and looking like branching horns or the antennæ of a crustacean. The accompaniment of sound we could distinctly hear. It saluted our ears like a challenge to battle delivered by trumpet. Taking that for granted, we were no way loath in acceptance of it, nor did we mean to be tardy in seeking the struggle. We pulled like good fellows. My place was in the boat of the first mate, who was there dignified with the title of captain-every one in command of a boat, in such cases, being so denominated with special reference to his place in the boat.

Reader, we are about to start. This capture, as it shall turn out to be, was a very good representative one to me, and I mean that it shall be so to you also. Spring on board with us! It will be my lookout to see that you at least are safe, come what may of the rest of us. And now we are off! off!! off!!! with just one idea foremost and uppermostthat of swallowing up the intervening space by a gulping muscular action, and getting at once along

side the dark mass of blubber and whalebone, sportively awaiting us without foresight or dread.

To suppress natural excitation in this grand hunt of the hugest of living creatures, so as to make it entirely subservient instead of riotously leading, is a business first incumbent upon all who would a-whaling go. Circumspection, keen and wary, must be used along with the utmost celerity and promptitude. To be at once silent and swift, reckless and discreet, is urgently imposed in this pursuit. Each boat's crew was inspired by a natural and fostered emulation to get ahead of all others, and all together to have precedence over those ready to compete for possession of the prize from the other vessels, three of which, we noticed, had, about the same time as ourselves, lowered their boats and entered the race with Hence, specially, speed had to be called in.

us.

Silence, too, in approaching our quarry was requisite, for its acute sense of hearing had to be guarded against, and as its sight was no less sharp, we had to take our bearings well at the same time; and caution in exposure thus became equally indispensable. So, as if with muffled oars, we sped along, and only the rush of the waters, as we cut through them, was much audible. Its huge proportions, however, gave us great immunities from the chances of being seen or heard-for its bulk, towering over its comparatively little orbits, hid us from observation, while the movement of its great mass in the mobile

waters, excluded minor and more distant disturb

ances.

Veering slightly round then, to avoid the hazard of our becoming, from the assailants, the assailed, or of our prey escaping by a dive into unfathomed depths, before we could thither send it with proper mandate, having security for its return attached, our boats prudentially neared the unwary victim. Four men besides myself were now bending and stretching their utmost over the oars, while the captain, with head erect and fixed eye, was steering in the chosen course. As steadily renewed as the pulsations of life was the impetus that now sped us onward. On, on our little boat bounded over the corrugated surface like a thing of life, speaking forth in action her unswervable determination, as she made an ever-widening ripple at her prow.

At as nearly the speed of an arrow as we possibly could attain by the tension of every muscle, and as nearly to the stillness of one's flight as practically could be reached with our implements, we tore along.

At length impends the critical juncture, as the command "Stand up!" is iterated resolutely by the captain to the man whose duty it is to launch the harpoon into the monster's side-he being selected as an expert for that job, as also for that of steerer as soon as the weapon has been effectually lodged. Promptly his oar, which up to now he has been ply