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Bfi I

Catchino the Shark

LONDON : JAME8 NI»BET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

DOINGS AND DANGEKS

ON A

FISHING CRUISE

By R M. BALLANTYNE

AUTHOR OF "the lifeboat"; "the lighthouse"; "the iron

HORSE '

; "under the waves"; "rivers of ice";
"shifting winds"; kxc. etc.

LONDON
JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET

NOTE

PLAN OF THia MISCELLANY

There is a vast amount of interesting information on almost
all subjects, which many people, especially the young, cannot
attain to because of the expense, and, in some instances, the
rarity of the books in which it is contained.

To place some of this information, in an attractive form,
within the reach of those who cannot aflford to purchase ex-
pensive books, is the principal object of this miscellany.

Truth is stranger than fiction, but fiction is a valuable
assistant in the development of truth. Both, therefore, shall
be used in these volumes. Care will be taken to ensure, as far
as is possible, that the facts stated shall be true, and that the
irnpressions given shall be truthful.

As all classes, in every age, have proved that tales and stories
are the most popular style of literature, each volume of the
series (with, perhaps, one or two exceptions) will contain a
complete tale, the heroes and actors in which, together with the
combination of circumstances in which they move, shall be
more or less fictitious.

In writing these volumes, the author has earnestly endea-
voured to keep in view the glory of God and the good of man.

CONTENTS

PAUR

Chap. I. — In Trouble, to begin with, , , .11

II.— At Sea 22

III.— Our First Battle, 88

IV. — "Cutting in the Blubber" and "Trying

Out the Oil," ...... 48

V. — A Storm, a Man Overboard, and a Rescue, 55

VI.— The Whale— Fighting Bulls, etc., . . 63

VII. — Tom's Wisdom — Another great Battle, . 72

VIII.— Death on the Sea, 91

IX. — Keeping the Sabbath, 104

X. — News from Home — A Gam, . . . .111

XI. — Return Home 122

FIGHTING THE WHALES

CHAPTER I

IN TROUBLE, TO BEGIN WITH

fTIHERE are few things in this world that have
■*■ filled me with so much astonishment as the
fact that man can kill a whale ! That a fish, more
than sixty feet long, and thirty feet round the
body; with the bulk of three hundred fat oxen
rolled into one; with the strength of many
hundreds of horses ; able to swim at a rate that
would carry it right round the world in twenty-
three days ; that can smash a boat to atoms with
one slap of its tail, and stave in the planks of a
ship with one blow of its thick skull ;— that such
a monster can be caught and killed by man, is
most wonderful to hear of, but I can tell from ex-
perience that it is much more wonderful to see.

There is a wise saying which I have often
thought much upon. It is this: "Knowledge is
power." Man is but a feeble creature, and if he

FIGHTING THE WHALES

had to depend on his own bodily strength alone
he could make no head against even the ordinary
brutes in this world. But the knowledge which
has been given to him by his Maker has clothed
man with great power, so that he is more than a
match for the fiercest beast in the forest, or the
largest fish in ':he sea. Yet, with all his know-
ledge, with all his experience, and all his power,
the killing of a great old sperm whale costs man a
long, tough battle, sometimes it even costs him his
life.

It is a long time now since I took to fighting
the whales. I have been at it, man and boy, for
nigh forty years, and many a wonderful sight have
I seen ; many a desperate battle have I fought in
the fisheries of the North and South Seas.

Sometimes, when I sit in the chimney-corn 3r
of a winter evening, smoking my pipe with my old
messmate Tom Lokins, I stare into the fire and
think of the days gone by till I forget where I am,
and go on thinking so hard that the flames seem
to turn into melting fires, and the bars of the grate
into dead fish, and the smoke into sails and rigging,
and I go to work cutting up the blubber and
stirring the oil-pots, or pulling the bow-oar and
driving the harpoon at such a rate that I can't
help giving a shout, which causes Tom to start and
cry:—

" Hallo ! Bob " (my name is Bob Ledbury, you
see). " Hallo ! Bob, wot's the matter ? "

FIGHTING THE WHALES

To which I reply, " Tom, can it all be true ? "

" Can wot be true ? " says he, with a stare of
surprise — for Tom is getting into his dotage now.

And then I chuckle and tell Lim I was only
thinking of (^M times, and so he falls to smoking
again, and I to staring at the lire, and thinking as
hard as ever.

The way in which I was first led to go after the
whales was curious. This is how it happened.

About forty years ago, when I was a boy of
nearly fifteen years of age, I lived with my mother
in one of the seaport towns of England. There
was great distress in the town at that time, and
many of the hands were out of work. My em-
ployer, a blacksmith, had just died, and for more
than six weeks I had not been able to get employ-
ment or to earn a farthing. This caused me great
distress, for my father had died without leaving a
penny in the world, and my mother depended on
me entirely. The money I had saved out of my
wages was soon spent, and one morning when I
sat down to breakfast, my mother looked across the
table and said, in a thoughtful voice —

"Robort, dear, this meal has cost us our last
halfpenny."

My mother was old and frail and her voice very
gentle ; she was the most trustful, uncomplaining
woman I ever knew.

I looked up quickly into her face as she spoke.
" All the money gone, mother ? "

FIGHTING THE WHALES

" Ay, all. It will be hard for you to go without
your dinner, Robert, dear."

"It will be harder for yon, mother," I cried,
striking the table with my fist ; then a lump rose
in my throat and almost choked me. I could not
utter another word.

It was with difficulty I managed to eat the little
food that was before me. After breakfast I rose
hastily and rushed out of the house, determined
that I would get my mother her dinner, even if I
should have to beg for it. But I must confess
that a sick feeling came over me when I thought
of begging.

Hurrying along the crowded streets without
knowing very well what I meant to do, I at last
came to an abrupt halt at the end of the pier.
Here 1 went up to several people and offered my
services in a wild sort of way. They must have
thought that I was drunk, for nearly all of them
said gruffly that they did not want me.

Dinner time drew near, but no one had given
me a job, and no wonder, for the way in which I
tried to get one was not likely to be successful.
At last I resolved to beg. Observing a fat, red-
faced old gentleman coming along the pier, I made
up to him boldly. He carried a cane with a large
gold knob on the top of it. That gave me hope,
"for of course," thought I, "he must be rich."
His nose, which was exactly the colour and shape
of the gold knob on his cane, was ctuck in the

t
I

1
t

FIGHTING THE WHALES

centre of a round, good-natured countenance, the
mouth of which was large and firm; the eyes
bright and blue. He frowned as I went forward
hat in hand ; but I was not to be driven back ; the
thought of my starving mother gave me power to
crush down my rising shame. Yet I had no
reason to be ashamed. I was willing to work, if
only I could have got employment.

Stopping in front of the old gentleman, I was
about to speak when I observed him quietly but-
ton up his breeches pocket. The blood rushed to
my face, and, turning quickly on my heel, I walked
away without uttering a word.

" Hallo ! " shouted a gruff voice just as I was
moving away.

I turned and observed that the shout was
uttered by a broad rough-looking jack- tar, a man
of about two or three and thirty, who had been
sitting all the forenoon on an old cask smoking
his pipe and basking in the sun.

" Hallo ! " said he again.

" Well," said I.

" Wot d'ye mean, youngster, by goin' on in that
there fashion all the mornin', a-botherin' every-
body, and makin' a fool o' yourself like that ? eh!"

" What 's that to you ? " said I savagely, for my
heart was sore and heavy, and I could not stand
the interference of a stranger.

" Oh ! it 's nothin' to me of course," said the
sailor, picking his pipe quietly with his clasp-

FIGHTING THE WHALES

knife ; " but come here, boy, I 've somethin' to say
to ye."

" Well, what is it ? " said I, going up to him
somewhat sulkily.

The man looked at me gravely through the
smoke of his pipe, and said, " You 're in a passion,
my young buck, that 's all ; and, in case you didn't
know it, I thought I 'd tell ye."

I burst into a fit of laughter. " Well, I believe
you 're not far wrong ; but I 'm better now."

** Ah ! that 's right," said the sailor, with an
approving nod of his head, " always confess when
you 're in the wrong. Now, younker, let me give
you a bit of advice. Never get into a passion if
you can help it, and if you can't help it get out
of it as fast as possible, and if you can't get out
of it, just give a great roar to let off the steam
and turn about and run. There's nothing like
that. Passion han't got legs. It can't hold on
to a feller when he 's runnin'. If you keep it up
till you a'most split your timbers, passion has no
chance. It Tnust go a-starn. Now, lad, I 've been
w'^tchin' ye aU the mornin', and I see there's a
screw loose somewhere. If you '11 tell me wot it
is, see if I don't help you ! "

The kind frank Avay in which this was said quite
won my heart, so I sat down on the old cask, and
told the sailor all my sorrows.

" Boy," said he, when I had finished, " I '11 put
you in the way o' helpin' your mother. I can get

FIGHTING THE WHALES

you a berth in my ship, if you 're willin' to take a
trip to the whale fishery of the South Seas."

" And who will look after my mother when I 'm
away ? " said I.

The sailor looked perplexed at the question.

" Ah ! that 's a puzzler," he replied, knocking the
ashes out of his pipe. " Will you take me to your
mother's house, lad ? "

" Willingly," said I, and, jumping up, I led the
way. As we turned to go, I observed that the old
gentleman with the gold-headed cane was leaning
over the rail of the pier at a short distance from
us. A feeling of anger instantly rose within me,
and I exclaimed, loud enough for him to hear —

" I do believe that stingy old chap has been
listening to every word we 've been saying ! "

I thought I observed a frovm on the sailor's
brow as I said this, but he made no remark, and
in a few minutes we were walking rapidly through
the streets. My companion stopped at one of
those stores so common in seaport towns, where
one can buy almost anything, from a tallow candle
to a brass cannon. Here he purchased a pound
of tea, a pound of sugar, a pound of butter, and a
small loaf, — all of which he thrust into the huge
pockets of his coat. He had evidently no idea of
proportion or of household affairs. It was a simple,
easy way of settling the matter, to get a pound of
everything.

In a short time we reached our house, a very

FIGHTING THE WHALES

old one, in a poor neighbourhood, and entered my
mother's room. She was sitting at the table when
we went in, with a large Bible before her, and a
pair of horn-spectacles on her nose. I could see
that she had been out gathering coals and cinders
during my absence, for a good fire burned in
the grate, and the kettle was singing cheerily
thereon.

" I 've brought a friend to see you, mother,"
said I.

"Good-day, mistress," said the sailor bluntly,
sitting down on a stool near the fire. " You seem
to be goin' to have your tea."

" I expect to have it soon," replied my mother.

" Indeed ! " said I, in surprise. " Have you any-
thing in the kettle ? "

" Nothing but water, my son."

" Has anybody brought you anything, then^
since I went out ? "

" Nobody."

" Why, then, mistress," broke in the seaman,
" how can you expect to have your tea so soon ? "

My mother took off her spectacles, looked
calmly in the man's face laid her hand on the
Bible, and said, " Because I have been a widow
woman these three years, and never once in all
that time have I gone a single day without a meal.
When the usual hour came I put on my kettle to
boil, for this Word tells me that 'the Lord will
provide.' I expect my tea to-night."

FIGHTING THE WHALES

d
le
w
^11
hi.
to
lU

The sailor's face expressed puzzled astonish-
ment at these words, and he continued to regard
my mother with a look of wonder as he drew
forth his supplies of food, and laid them on the
table.

In a short time we were all enjoying a cup of
tea, and talking about the whale-fishery and the
difficulty of my going away while my mother was
dependent on me. At last the sailor rose to leave
us. Taking a five-pound note from his pocket, he
laid it on the table and said —

" Mistress, this is all I have in the world, but I 've
got neither family nor friends, and I 'm bound for
the South Seas in six days ; so, if you 11 take it,
you 're welcome to it, and if your son Bob can
manage to cast loose from you without leaving you
to sink, I '11 t^ake him aboard the ship that I sail
in. He '11 always find me at the Bull and Griffin,
in the High Street, or at the end o' the pier."

While the sailor was speaking, I observed a
figure standing in a dark corner of the room near
the door, and, on looking more closely, I found
that it was the old gentleman with the nose like
his cane knob. Seeing that he was observed, he
came forward and said —

" I trust that you will forgive my coming here
without invitation ; but I happened to overhear
part of the conversation between your son and
this seaman, and I am willing to help you over
your little difficulty, if you will allow me."

FIGHTING THE WHALES

The old gentleman said this in a very quick,
abrupt way, and looked as if he were afraid his
offer might be refused. He was much heated,
with climbing our long stair no doubt, and as he
stood in the middle of the room, puffing and
wiping his bald head with a handkerchief, my
mother rose hastily and offered him a chair.

" You are very kind, sir,'-' she said ; " do sit
down, sir. I'm sure I don't know why you
should take so much trouble. But, dear me, you
are very warm ; will you take a cup of tea to cool
you ? "

" Thank you, thank you. With much pleasure,
unless, indeed, your son objects to a 'stingy old
chap ' sitting beside him."

I blushed when he re^'cated my words, and
attempted to make some apology; but the old
gentleman stopped me by commencing to explain
his intentions in short, rapid sentences.

To make a long story short, he offered to look
after my mother while I was away, and, to prove
his sincerity, laid down five shillings, and said he
would call with that sum every week as long as I
was absent. My mother, after some trouble, agreed
to let me go, and, before that evening closed,
everything was arranged, and the gentleman,
leaving his address, went away.

The sailor had been so much filled with sur-
prise at the suddenness of all this, that he could
scarcely speak. Immediately after the departure

FIGHTING THE WHALES

of the old gentleman, he said, " Well, good-bye,
mistress, good-bye. Bob," and throwing on his hat
in a careless way, left the room.

" Stop," I shouted after him, when he had got
about half-way dov^n stair.

" Hallo ! wot 's wrong now ? "

" Nothing, I only forgot to ask your name."

" Tom Lokins," he bellowed, in the hoarse voice
of a regular boatswain, "w'ich wos my father's
name before me."

So saying, he departed, whistling "Rule Bri-
tannia " with all his might.

Thus the matter was settled. Six days after-
wards, I rigged myself out in a blue jacket, white
ducks, and a straw hat, and went to sea.

: ^

FIGHTING THE WHALES

CHAPTER II

AT SEA

MY first few days on the ocean were so miserable,
that I oftentimes repented of having left my
native land. I was, as my new friend Tom Lokins
said, as sick as a dog. But in course of time I
grew well, and began to rejoice in the cool fresh
breezes and the great rolling billows of the sea.

Many and many a time I used to creep out to
the end of the bowsprit, when the weather was
calm, and sit with my legs danghng over the deep
blue water, and my eyes fixed on the great masses
of rolling clouds in the sky, thinking of the new
course of life I had just begun. At such times
the thought of my mother was sure to come into
ray mind, and I thought of her parting words,
" Put your trust in the Lord, Robert, and read His
Word." I resolved to try to obey her, but this I
found was no easy matter, for the sailors were a
rough lot of fellows, who cared little for the Bible.
But, I must say, they were a hearty, good-natured
set, and much better, upon the whole, than many
a ship's crew that I afterwards sailed with.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

We were fortunate in having fair winds this
voyage, and soon found ourselves on the other
side of the line, as we jack-tars call the Equator.

Of course the crew did not forget the old custom
of shaving all the men who had never crossed the
line before. Our captain was a jolly old man, and
uncommonly fond of " sky-larking." He gave us
leave to do what we liked the day we crossed the
line ; so, as there were a number of wild spirits
among us, we broke through all the ordinary rules,
or, rather, we added on new rules to them.

The old hands had kept the matter quiet from
us greenhorns, so that, although we knew they
were going to do some sort of mischief, we didn't
exactly understand what it was to be.

About noon of that day I was called on deck
and told that old father Neptune was coming
aboard, and we were to be ready to receive him.
A minute after T saw a tremendous monster come
up over the side of the ship and jump on the deck.
He was crowned with sea-weed, and painted in a
wonderful fashion ; his clothes were dripping wet,
as if he had just come from the bottom of the sea.
After him came another monster with a petticoat
made of sailcloth and a tippet of a bit of old
tarpaulin. This was Neptune's wife, and these
two carried on the most remarkable antics I ever
saw. I laughed heartily, and soon discovered,
from the tones of their voices, which of my ship-
mates Neptune and his wife were. But my mirth

PIOHTINQ THE WHALES

was quickly atopped when 1 was suddenly seized
by several men, and my face was covered over
with a horrible mixture of tar and grease !

Six of us youngsters were treated in this way ;
then the lather was scraped oft* with a piece of old
hoop-iron, and, after being thus shaved, buckets of
cold water were thrown over us.

At last, after a prosperous voyage, we arrived at
our fishing-ground in the South Seas, and a feeling
of excitement and expectation began to show it-
self among the men, insomuch that our very eyes
seemed brighter than usual.

One night those of us who had just been re-
lieved from watch on deck, were sitting on the
lockers down below telling ghost stories.

It was a dead calm, and one of those intensely
dark, hot nights, that cause sailors to feel uneasy,
they scarce know why. I began to feel so un-
comfortable at last, listening to the horrible tales
which Tom Lokins was relating to the men, that
I slipt away from them with the intention of going
on deck. I moved so quietly that no one observed
me ; besides, every eye was fixed earnestly on Tom,
whose deep low voice was the only sound that
broke the stillness of all around. As I was going
very cautiously up the ladder leading to the deck,
Tom had reached that part of his story where the
ghost was just appearing in a dark churchyard,
dressed in white, and coming slowly forward, one
step at a time, towards the terrified man who saw

FiaiiTma the whales

it. The men held their breath, and one or two of
their faces turred pale as Torn went on with his
description, lowering his voice to a hoarse whisper.
Just as I put my head up the hatchway the sheet
of one of the sails, which was hanging loose in tho
still air, passed gently over my head rnd knocked
my hat ofip. At any other time I would have
thought nothing of this, but Tom's story had
thrown me into such an excited and nervous
condition that I gave a start, missed my footing,
uttered a loud cry, and fell down the ladder right
in among the men with a tremendous crash,
knocking over two or three oil-cans and a tin
bread-basket in my fall, and upsetting the lantern,
so that the place was instantly pitch dark.

I never heard such a howl of terror as these
men gave vent to when this niisfortune befell me.
They rushed upon deck with their hearts in their
mouths, tumbling, and peeling the skin off their
shins and knuckles in their haste ; and it was not
until they heard the laughter of the watch on
deck that they breathed freely, and, joining in the
laugh, called themselves fools for being frightened
by a ghost story. I noticed, however, that, for all
their pretended indifference, there was not one man
among them — not even Tom Lokins himself —
who would go down below to relight the lantern
for at least a quarter of an hour afterwards !

Feeling none the worse for my fall, I went
forward and leaned over the bow of the ship,

FIGHTING THE WHALES

where I was much astonished by the appearance
of the sea. It seemed as if the water was on fire.
Every time the ship's bow rose and fell, the little
belt of foam made in the water seemed like a belt
of blue flame with bright sparkles in it, like stars
or diamonds. I had seen this curious appearance
before, but never so bright as it was on that
night.

" What is it, Tom ? " said I, as my friend came
forward and leaned over the ship's bulwark beside
me.

" It 's blue fire, Bob," replied Tom, as he smoked
his pipe calmly.

" Come, you know I can't swallow that," said I ;
"everybody knows that fire, either blue or red,
can't burn in the water."

"May be not," returned Tom; "but it's blue
fire for all that. Leastwise if it 's not, I don't know
wot else it is."

Tom had often seen this light before, no doubt,
but he had never given himself the trouble to find
out what it could be. Fortunately the captain
came up just as I put the question, and he en-
lightened me on the subject.

" It is caused by small animals," said he, leaning
over the side.

" Small animals ! " said I, in astonishment.

" Ay, many parts of the sea are full of creatures
so small and so thin and colourless, that you can
hardly see them even in a clear glass tumbler.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

■

Many of them are larger than others, but the most
of them are very small."

" But how do they shine like that, sir ? " I asked.

" That I do not know, boy. God has given them
the power to shine, just as he has given us the
power to walk or speak; and they do shine
brightly, as you see ; but how they do it is more
than I can tell. I think, myself, it must be anger
that makes them shine, for they generally do it
when they are stirred up or knocked i about by
oars, or ships' keels, or tumbling waves. But I
am not sure that that 's the reason either, because,
you know, we often sail through them without
seeing the light, though of course they must be
there."

"P'raps, sir," said Tom Lokins; "p'raps, sir,
they're sleepy sometimes, an' can't be bothered
gettin' angry."

" Perhaps ! " answered the captain, laughing.
" But then again, at other times, I have seen
them shining over the whole sea when it was quite
calm, making it like an ocean of milk ; and nothing
was disturbing them at that time, d' ye see."

" I don' know that I' objected Tom ; " they might
have bin a-fightin' among theirselves."

" Or playing, may be," said I.

The captain laughed, and, looking up at the
sky, said, "I don't like the look of the weather,
Tom Lokins. You 're a sharp fellow, and have
been in these seas before, what say you ? "

FIGHTING THE WHALES

" We '11 have a breeze," replied Tom, briefly.

"More than a breeze," muttered the captain,
while a look of grave anxiety overspread his
countenance ; " I '11 go below and take a squint at
the glass."

"What does he mean by that, Tom," said I,
when the captain was gone, " I never saw a calmer
or a finer night. Surely there is no chance of a
storm just now."

"Ay, that shows that you're a young feller,
and han't got much experience o' them seas," re-
plied my companion. " Why, boy, sometimes the
fiercest storm is brewin' behind the greatest calm.
An' the worst o' the thing is that it comes so
sudden at times, that the masts are torn out o'
the ship before you can say Jack Robinson."

" What ! and without any warning ? " said I.

" Ay, almost without warnin' ; but not altogether
without it. You heer'd the captain say he 'd go
an' take a squint at the glass ? "

" Yes ; what is the glass ? "

" It's not a glass o' grog, you may be sure ; nor
yet a lookin'-glass. It's the weather-glass, boy.
Shore-goin' chaps call it a barometer."

"And what's the meaning of barometer?" I
inquired earnestly.

Tom Lokins stared at me in stupid amazement.
" Why, boy," said he, " you 're too inquisitive. I
once asked the doctor o' a ship that question, and
says he to me, ' Tom,' saj^s he, ' a barometer is a

■'

FIGHTING THE WHALES

glass tube filled with quicksilver or mercury,
which is a metal in a soft or fluid state, like water,
you know, and it 's meant for tellin' the state o'
the weather/

" * Yes, sir,' I answers, * I know that well enough.'

" ' Then why did you ask ? ' says he, gettin' into
a passion.

"'I asked what was the meanin' o' the word
barometer, sir,' said I.

" The doctor he looked grave at that, and shook
his head. ' Tom,' says he, * if I was to go for to
explain that word, and all about the instrument,
in a scientific sort o' way, d' ye see, I 'd have to
sit here an' speak to you right on end for six
hours or more.'

" ' Oh, sir,' says I, ' don't do it, then. Please,
don't do it.'

"'No more I will,' says he; 'but it'll serve
your turn to know that a barometer is a glass for
measurin' the weight o' the air, and, somehmv or
other, that lets ye know wots a-coming. If the
mercury in the glass rises high, all 's right. If it
falls uncommon low very sudden, look out for
squalls; that's all. No matter how smooth the
sea may be, or how sweetly all natur' may smile,
don't you believe it ; take in every inch o' canvas
at once.' "

" That was a queer explanation, Tom."

"Ay, but it was a true one, as you shall see
before long."

FIGHTING THE WHALES

As I looked out upon the calm sea, which lay
like a sheet of glass, without a ripple on its sur-
face, I could scarcely believe what he had said.
But before many minutes had passed I was con-
vinced of my error.

While I was standing talking to my messmate,
the captain rushed on deck, and shouted —

" ill hands tumble up ! Shorten sail ! Take
in every rag ! Look alive, boys, look alive."

I was quite stunned for a moment by this, and
by tho sudden tumult that followed. The men,
who seemed never to take thought about anything,
and who had but one duty, namely, to obey orders,
ran upon deck, and leaped up the rigging like
cats ; the sheets of nearly all the principal sails
were clewed up, and, ere long, the canvas was
made fast to the yards. A few of the smaller sails
only were left exposed, and even these were close-
reefed. Before long a loud roar was heard, and in
another minute the storm burst upon us with
terrific violence. The ship at first lay over so
much that the masts were almost in the water,
and it was as impossible for any one to walk the
deck as to walk along the side of a wall. At the
same time, the sea was lashed into white foam,
and the blinding spray flew over us in bitter fury.

" Take in the topsails ! " roared the captain.
But his voice was drowned in the shriek of the
gale. The men were saved the risk of going out
on the yards, however, for in a few moments more

FIGHTING THE WHALES

all the sails, except tlie storm-try-sail, were burst
and blown to ribbons.

We now tried to put the ship's head to the
wind and " lay to," by which landsmen will under-
stand that we tried to face the storm, and remain
stationary. But the gale was so fierce that this
was impossible. The last rag of sail was blown
away, and then there was nothing left for us but
to show our stern to the gale, and "scud under
bare poles."

The great danger now was that we might be
" pooped," which means that a huge wave might
curl over our stern, fall with terrible fury on our
deck, and sink us.

Many and many a good ship has gone down in
this way ; but we were mercifully spared. As our
safety depended very much on good steering, the
captain himself took the wheel, and managed the
ship so well, that we weathered the gale without
damage, farther than the loss of a few sails and
light spars. For two days the storm howled
furiously, the sky and sea were like ink, mth sheets
of rain and foam driving through the air, and raging
billows tossing our ship about like a cork.

During all this time my shipmates were quiet
and grave, but active and full of energy, so that
every order was at once obeyed without noise or
confusion. Every man watched the slightest
motion of the captain. We all felt that every-
thing depended on him.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

As for me, I gave up all hope of being saved.
It seemed impossible to me that anything that
man could build could withstand so terrible a
storm. I do not pretend to say that I was not
afraid. The near prospect of a violent death
caused my heart to sink more than once ; but my
feelings did not unman me. I did my duty
quietly, but quickly, like the rest; and when I
had no work to do, I stood holding on to the
weather stanchions, looking at the raging sea, and
thinking of my mother, and of the words of kind-
ness and counsel she had so often bestowed upon
me in vain.

The storm ceased almost as quickly as it began,
and although the sea did not all at once stop the
heavings of its angry bosom, the wind fell entirely
in the course of a few hours, the dark clouds
broke up into great masses that were piled up
high into the sky, and out of the midst of these
the glorious sun shone in bright rays down on the
ocean, like comfort from heaven, gladdening our
hearts as we busily repaired the damage that we
had suffered from the storm.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

CHAPTER III

OUR FIRST BATTLE

I SHALL never forget the surprise I got the first
time I saw a whale.

It was in the forenoon of a most splendid day,
about a week after we arrived at that part of the
ocean where we might expect to find fish. A
light nor'-east breeze was blowing, but it scarcely
rufiled the sea, as we crept slowly through the
water with every stitch of canvas set.

As we had been looking out for fish for some
time past, everything was in readiness for them.
The boats were hanging over the side ready to
lower, tubs for coiling away the ropes, harpoons,
lances, etc., all were ready to throw in, and start
away at a moment's notice. The man in the
" crow's nest," as they call the cask fixed up at the
masthead, was looking anxiously out for whales
and the crew were idling about the deck. Tom
Lokins was seated on the windlass smoking his
pipe, and I was sitting beside him on an empty
cask, sharpening a blubber-knife.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

" Tom," said I, " what like is a whale ? "

"Why, it's like nothin' but itself," replied Tom,
looking puzzled. "Why, wot a queer feller you
are to ax questions."

"I'm sure you've seen plenty of them. You
might be able to tell what a whale is like."

" Wot it 's like ! Well, it 's like a tremendous
big bolster with a head and a tail to it."

" And how big" is it ? "

" They 're of all sizes, lad. I 've seen one that
was exactly equal to three hundred fat bulls, and
its rate of goin' would take it round the whole
world in twenty-three days."

" I don't believe you," said I, laughing.

" Don't you ? " cried Tom ; " it 's a fact notwith-
standin', for the captain himself said so, and that 's
how I came to know it."

Just as Tom finished speaking, the man in the
crow's nest roared at the top of his voice, " There
she blows ! "

That was the signal that a whale was in sight,
and as it was the first time we had heard it that
season, every man in the ship was thrown into a
state of tremendous excitement.

" There she blows ! " roared the man again.

" Where away ? " shouted the captain.

" About two miles right a-head."

In another moment the utmost excitement pre-
vailed on board. Suddenly, while I was looking
over the side, straining my eyes to catch a sight

FIGHTING THE WHALES

of the whale, which could not yet be seen by the
men on deck, I saw a brown object appear in the
sea, not twenty yards from the side of the ship ;
before I had time to ask what it was, a whale's
head rose to the surface, and shot up out of the
water. The part of the fish that was visible above
water could not have been less than thirty feet
in length. It just looked as if our longboat had
jumped out of the sea, and he was so near that I
could see his great mouth quite plainly. I could
have tossed a biscuit on his back easily. Sending
two thick spouts of frothy water out of his blow-
holes forty feet into the air with tremendous noise,
he fell flat upon the sea with a clap Uke thunder,
tossed his flukes or tail high into the air, and
disappeared.

I was so amazed at this sight that I could not
speak. I could only stare at the place where the
huge monster had gone down.

" Stand by to lower," shouted the captain.

" Ay, ay, sir," replied the men, leaping to their
appointed stations; for every man in a whale-
ship has his post of duty appointed to him, and
knows what to do when an order is given.

"Lower away," cried the captain, whose face
was now blazing with excitement.

In a moment more three boats were in the
water ; the tubs, harpoons, etc., were thrown in, the
men seized the oars, and away they went with a
cheer. I was in such a state of flutter that I

FIGHTING THE WHALES

scarce know what I did; but I managed some-
how or other to get into a boat, and as I was a
strong fellow, and a good rower, I was allowed to
pull.

" There she blows ! " cried the man in the crow's
nest, just as we shot from the side of the ship.
There was no need to ask, "where away" this
time. Another whale rose and spouted not more
than three hundred yards off, and before we could
speak a third fish rose in another direction, and
we found ourselves in the middle of what is called
a " school of whales."

" Now, lads," said the captain, who steered the
boat in which I rowed, "bend your backs, my
hearties ; that fish right ahead of us is a hundred-
barrel whale for certain. Give way, boys; we
must have that fish."

There was no need to urge the men, for their
backs were strained to the utmost, their faces were
flushed, and the big veins in their necks swelled
almost to bursting, with the tremendous exertion.

" Hold hard," said the captain, in a low voice,
for now that we were getting near our prey, we
made as little noise as possible.

The men at once threw their oars " apeak," as
they say ; that is, raised them straight up in the
air, and waited for further orders. We expected
the whale would rise near to where we were, and
thought it best to rest and look out.

While we were waiting, Tom Lokins, who was

FIGHTING THE WHALES

harponccr of the boat, sat just behind me with
all his irons ready. Ho took this ojiportunity to
explain to ine that by a " hundred barrel fish " is
meant a fish that will yield a himdred barrels of
oil. He further informed me that such a fish was
a big one, though he had seen a few in the North -
West Seas that had produced upwards of two
hundred barrels.

I now observed that the other boats had sepa-
rated, and each had gone after a difi'erent whale.
In a few minutes the fish wo were in chase of rose
a short distance off, and sent up two splendid
Avater-spouts high into the air, thus showing that
he was what the whalers call a " right " whale. It
is different from the sperm whale, which has only
one blow-hole, and that a little one.

We rowed towards it with all our might, and
as we drew near, the captain ordered Tom Lokins
to " stand up," so he at once laid in his oar, and
took up the harpoon. The harpoon is an iron
lance with a barbed point. A whale-line is at-
tached to it, and this line is coiled away in a tub.
When we were within a few yards of the fish,
which was going slowly through the water, all
ignorant of the terrible foes who were pursuing
him, Tom Lokins raised the harpoon high above
his head, and darted it deep into its fat side just
behind the left fin, and next moment the boat ran
aground on the whale's back.

" Stern all, for your lives ! " roared the captain,

FIGHTING THE WHALES

who, before his order was obeyed, managed to
give the creature two deep wounds with his lance.
The lance has no barbs to its point, and is used
only for wounding after the harpoon is fixed.

The boat was backed off at once, but it had
scarcely got a few yards away when the astonished
fish whirled its huge body half out of the water,
and, coming down with a tremendous clap, made
off like lightning.

The line was passed round a strong piece of
wood called the "logger-head," and, in running
out, it began to smoke, and nearly set the wood
on fire. Indeed, it would have done so, if a man
had not kept constantly pouring water upon it.
It was needful to be very cautious in managing
the line, for the duty is attended with great
danger. If any hitch should take place, the line
is apt to catch the boat and drag it down bodily
under the waves. Sometimes a coil of it gets
round a leg or an arm of the man who attends to
it, in which case his destruction is almost certain.
Many a poor fellow has lost his life in this way.

The order was now given to "hold on line."
This was done, and in a moment our boat was
cleaving the blue water like an arrow, while the
white foam curled from her bows. I thought
every moment we should be dragged under ; but
whenever this seemed likely to happen, the line
was let run a bit, and the strain eased. At last
the fish grew tired of dragging us, the line ceased

FIGHTING THE WHALES

to run out, and Tom hauled in tho slack, which
another man coiled away in its tub. Presently
tho fish rose to the surface, a short distance off
our weather-bow.

" Give way, boys ! spring your oars," cried tho
captain; "another touch or two with the lance,
and that fish is ours."

The boat shot ahead, and we were about to
dart a second harpoon into the whale's side, when
it tc»ok to " sounding," — which means, that it went
straight down, head foremost, into the depths of
the sea. At that moment Tom Lokins uttered a
cry of mingled anger and disappointment. Wo
all turned round and saw our shipmate standing
with the slack line in his hand, and such an
expression on his weather .eaten face, that I
could scarce help laughiii The harpoon had
not been well fixed ; it had lost its hold, and the
tish was now free !

" Gone ! " exclaimed the captain, with a groan.

I remember even yet the feeling of awful
disappointment that came over me when I under-
stood that we had lost the fish after all our
trouble ! I could almost have wept with bitter
vexation. As for my comrades, they sat staring
at each other for some moments quite speechless.
Before we could recover from the state into which
this misfortune had thrown us, one of the men
suddenly shouted, "Hallo! there's the mate's
boat in distress."

FIGHTING THE WHALES

We turned at once, and, truly, there was no
doubt of the truth of this, for, about half a mile
off, we beheld our first mate's boat tearing over
the sea like a small steamer. It was fast to a
fish, and two oars were set up on end to attract
our attention.

When a whale is struck, it sometimes happens
that the whole of the line in a boat is run out.
When this is about to occur, it becomes necessary
to hold on as much as can be done without
running the boat under the water, and an oar is
set up on end to show that assistance is required,
either from the ship or from the other boats. As
the line grows less and less, another and another
oar is hoisted to show that help must be sent
quickly. If no assistance can be sent, the only
thing that remains to be done is to cut the line
and lose the fish; but a whale line, with its
harpoon, is a very heavy loss, in addition to that
of the fish, so that whalers are tempted to hold
on a little too long sometimes.

When wo saw the mate's boat dashing away in
this style, we forgot our grief at the loss of our
whale in anxiety to render assistance to our
comrades, and we rowed towards them as fast as
we could. Fo-'^-nnately the whale changed its
course and came straight towards us, so that we
ceased pulling, and waited till they came up. As
the boat came on I saw the foam curling up on
her bows as she leaped and flew over the sea. I

]

FIGHTING THE WKALES

could scarcely believe it possible that wood and
iron could bear such a strain. In a few minutes
they were almost abreast of us.

"You 're holding too hard ! " shouted the captain.

" Lines all out ! " roared the mate.

They were past almost before these short
sentences could be spoken. But they had not
gone twenty yards ahead of us when the water
rushed in over the bow, and before we could utter
a word the boat and crew were gone. Not a trace
of them remained! The horror of the moment
had not been fully felt, however, when the boat
rose to the surface keel up, and, one after another,
the heads of the men appeared. The line had
fortunately broker otherwise the boat would have
been lost, and the entire crew probably would
have gone to the bottom with her.

We instantly pulled to the rescue, and were
thankful to find that not a man was killed, though
some of them were a little hurt, and all had
received a terrible fright. We next set to work
to right the upset boat, an operation Avhich was
not accomplished without much labour and
difficulty.

Now, while we were thus employed, our third
boat, which was in charge of the second mate,
had gone after the whale that had caused us so
much trouble, and when we had got the boat
righted and began to look about us, we found that
she was fast to the fish about a mile to leeward.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

" Hurrah, lads ! " cried the captain, " luck has
not left us yet. Give way, my hearties, pull like
Britons ! we '11 get that fish yet."

We were all dreadfully done up by this time,
but the sight of a boat fast to a whale restored us
at once, and we pulled away as stoutly as if we
had only begun the day's work. The whale was
heading in the direction of the ship, and when we
came up to the scene of action the second mate
had just " touched the life " ; in other words, he
had driven the lance deep down into the whale's
vitals. This was quickly known by jets of blood
being spouted up through the blow-holes. Soon
after, our victim went into its dying agonies, or,
as whalemen say, " his flurry."

This did not last long. In a short time he
rolled ovei; dead. We fastened a line to his tail,
the three boats took the carcass in tow, and,
singing a lively song, we rowed away to the ship.

Thus ended our first battle with the whales.

S'lGHTII^G THE WHALtIS

CHAPTER IV

"CUTTING IN THE BLUBBER" AND "TRYING
OUT THE oil"

rpHE scene that took place on board ship after

we caught our lirst fish was most wonderful.
We commenced the operation of what is called
" cutting in," that is, cutting up the whale, and
getting the fat or blubber hoisted in. The next
thing we did was to "try out" the oil, or melt
down the fat in large iron pots brought with us
for this purpose ; and the change that took place
in the appearance of the ship and the men when
this began was very remarkable.

When we left port our decks were clean, our
sails white, our masts well scraped ; the brass-
work about the quarter-deck was well polished,
and the men looked tidy and clean. A few hours
after our first whale had been secured alongside
all this was changed. The cutting up of the huge
carcass covered the decks with oil and blood, mak-
ing them so slippery that they had to be covered
with sand to enable the men to walk about.
Then the smoke of the great fires under the

FIGHTING THE WHALES

melting pots begrimed the masts, sails, and cord-
age with soot. The faces and hands of the men
got so covered with oil and soot that it would
have puzzled any one to say whether they were
white or black. Their clothes, too, became so
dirty that it was impossible to clean them. But,
indeed, whalemen do not much mind this. In
fact, they take a pleasure in all the dirt that sur-
rounds them, because it is a sign of success in the
main object of their voyage. The men in a dean
whale ship are never happy. When everything is
tilthy, and dirty, and greasy, and smoky, and black
— decks, rigging, clothes, and person — it is then
that the hearty laugh and jest and song are heard
as the crew work busily, night and day, at their
rough but profitable labour.

The operations of " cutting in " and "trying out"
were matters of great interest to me the first time
I saw them.

After having towed our whale to the ship,
cutting in was immediately begun. First, the
carcass was secured near the head and tail with
chains, and made fast to the ship ; then the great
blocks and ropes fastened to the main and fore-
mast for hoisting in the blubber Avere brought
into play. When all was ready, the captain and
the two mates with Tom Lokins got upon the
whale's body, with long-handled sharp spades or
digging-knives. With these they fell to work
cutting otf the blubber.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

I was stationed at one of the hoisting ropes, and
while we were waiting for the signal to "hoist
away," I peeped over the side, and for the first
time had a good look at the great fish. When
we killed it, so much of its body was down in the
water that I could not see it very clearly, but now
that it was lashed at full length alongside the
ship, and I could look right down upon it, I began
to understand more clearly what a large creature it
was. One thing surprised me much; the top of
its head, which was rough and knotty like the
bark of an old tree, was swarming with little crabs
and barnacles, and other small creatures. The
whale's head seemed to be their regular home !
This fish was by no means one of the largest kind,
but being the first I had seen, I fancied it must
be the largest fish in the sea.

Its body was forty feet long, and twenty feet
round at the thickest part. Its head, which
seemed to me a great, blunt, shapeless thing, like
a clumsy old boat, was eight feet lovig from the
tip to the blow-holes or nostrils ; and these holes
were situated on the back of the head, which at
that part was nearly four feet broad. The entire
head measured about twenty-one feet round. Its
ears were two small holes, so small that it was
difficult to discover them, and the eyes were also
very small for so large a body, being about the
same size as those of an ox. The mouth was
very large, and the under jaw had great ugly lips.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

When it was dying, I saw these lips close in once
or twice on its fat cheeks, which it bulged out like
the leather sides of a pair of gigantic bellows.
It had two fins, one on each side, just behind the
head. With these, and with its tail, the whale
swims and lights. Its tail is its most deadly
weapon. The flukes of this one measured thir-
teen feet across, and with one stroke of this it
could have smashed our largest boat in pieces.
Many a boat has been sent to the bottom in this
way.

I remember hearing our first mate tell of a
wonderful escape a comrade of his had in the
Greenland Sea fishery. A whale had been struck,
and, after its first run, they hauled up to it again,
and rowed so hard that they ran the boat right
against it. The harponeer was standing on the
bow all ready, and sent his iron cleverly into the
blubber. In its agony the whale reared its tail
high out of the water, and the flukes whirled for
a moment like a great fan just above the har-
poneer's head. One glance up was enough to
show him that certain death was descending. In
an instant he dived over the side and disappeared.
Next moment the flukes came down on the part
of the boat he had just left, and cut it clean off;
the other part was driven into the waves, and the
men were left swimming in the water. They were
all picked up, however, by another boat that was
in company, and the harponeer was recovered

• I

■'5',
f.r.

A DivK yoK Life.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

with the rest. His quick dive had been the
saving of his life.

I had not much time given me to study the
appearance of this whale before the order was
given to " hoist away ! " so we went to work with
a will. The tirst part that came up was the huge
lip, fastened to a large iron hook, called the
blubber hook. It was lowered into the blubber-
room between decks, where a couple of men were
stationed to stow the blubber away. Then came
the fins, and after them the upper-jaw, with the
whalebone attached to it. The " right " whale has
no teeth like the sperm whale. In place of teeth
it has the well-known substance called whalebone,
which grows from the roof of its mouth in a
number of broad thin plates, extending from the
back of the head to the snout. The lower edges
of these plates of whalebone are split into thou-
sands of hairs like bristles, so that the inside roof
of a whale's mouth resembles an enormous blacking
brush! The object of this curious arrangement
is to enable the whale to catch the little shrimps
and small sea-blubbers, called " medusa?," on which
it feeds. I have spoken before of these last as
being the little creatures that gave out such a
beautiful pale-blue light at night. The whale
feeds on them. When he desires a meal he opens
his great mouth and rushes into the midst of a
shoal of medusae ; the little things get entangled
in thousands among the hairy ends of the whale-

FIGHTING THE WHALES

bone, and when the monster has got a large
enough mouthful, he shuts his lower jaw and
swallows what his net has caught.

The wisdom as well as the necessity of this
arrangement is very plain. Of course, while
dashing through the sea in this fashion, with his
mouth agape, the whale must keep his throat
elosed, else the water would rush down it and
choke him. Shutting his throat then, as he does,
the water is obliged to flow out of his mouth as
fast as it flows in ; it is also spouted up through
his blow-holes, and this with such violence that
many of the little creatures would be swept out
along with it but for the hairy-ended whalebone
which lets the sea- water out, but keeps the
medusae in.

Well, let us return to our " cutting in." After
the upper-jaw came the lower-jaw and throat, with
the tongue. This last was an enormous mass of
fat, about as large as an ox, and it weighed fifteen
hundred or two thousand pounds. After this was
got in, the rest of the work was simple. The
blubber of the body was peeled off in great strips,
beginning at the neck and being cut spirally
towards the tail. It was hoisted on board by the
blocks, the captain and mates cutting, and the
men at the windlass hoisting, and the carcass
slowly turning round until we got an unbroken
piece of blubber, reaching from the water to nearly
as high as the mainyard-arm. This mass was

FIGHTING THE WHALES

nearly a foot thick, and it looked like fat pork.
It was cut off close to the deck, and lowered into
the blubber-room, where the two men stationed
there attacked it with knives, cut it into smaller
pieces, and stowed it away. Then another piece
was hoisted on board in the same foshion, and so
on we went till every bit of blubber was cut off;
and I heard the captain remark to the mate when
the work was done, that the fish was a good fat
one, and he wouldn't wonder if it turned out to be
worth £300.

Now, when this process was going on, a new
point of interest arose which I had not thought of
before, although my messmate, Tom Lokins, had
often spoken of it on the voyage out. This was
the arrival of great numbers of sea-birds.

Tom had often told me of the birds that always
keep company with whalers ; but I had forgotten
all about it until I saw an enormous albatross
come sailing majestically through the air towards
us. This was the largest bird I ever saw, and no
wonder, for it is the largest bird that flies. Soon
after that, another arrived, and although we were
more than a thousand miles from any shore, we
were speedily scented out and surrounded by hosts
of gonies, stinkards, haglets, gulls, pigeons, petrels,
and other sea-birds, which commenced to feed on
pieces of the whale's carcass with the most savage
gluttony. These birds were dreadfully greedy.
They had stuffed themselves so full in the course

FIOHTINO THE WHALES

of a short time, that they flew heavily and with
great difficulty. No doubt they would have to
take three or four days to digest that nieal !

Sharks, too, came to get their share of what was
going. But these savage monsters did not con-
tent themselves with what was thrown away ; they
were so bold as to come before our faces and take
bites out ^^ the whale's body. Some of these
sharks wei .ght and nine feet long, and when I
saw them open their horrid jaws, armed with three
rows of glistening white sharp teeth, I could well
understand how easily they could bite off the leg
of a man, as they often do when they get the
chance. Sometimes they would come right up on
the whale's body with a wave, bite out great pieces
of the flesh, turn over on their bellies, and roll off.

While I was looking over the side during the
early part of that day, I saw a very large shark
come rolli' up in this way close to Tom Lokins'
legs. Toi ade a cut at him with his blubber-
spade, but the shark rolled off in time to escape
the blow. And after all it would not have done
him much damage, for it is not easy to frighten
or take the life out of a shark.

" Hand me an iron and line. Bob," said Tom,
looking up at me. " I 've got a s^ ite agin that
feller. He *s been up twice already. Ah ! hand
it down here, and two or three of ye stand by to
hold on by the line. There he comes, the big
villain ! "

i) •

FIOHTINa THE WHALES

Ito

The shark came close to the side of the whale
at that moment, and Tom sent the harpoon right
down his throat.

" Hold on hard," shouted Tom.

"Ay, ay," replied several of the men as they
held on to the line, their arms jerking violently
as the savage fish tried to free itself We quickly
reeved a line through a block at the fore yard-arm,
and hauled it on deck with much difficulty. The
scene that followed was very horrible, for there
was no killing the brute.^ It threshed the deck
with its tail, and snapped so fiercely with its
tremendous jaws, that we had to keep a sharp
look out lest it should catch hold of a leg. At
last its tail was cut off, the body cut open, and all
the entrails taken out, yet even after this it con-
tinued to flap and thresh about the deck for some
time, and the heart continued to contract for
twenty minutes after it was taken out and pierced
with a knife.

I would not have believed this had I not seen
it with my own eyes. In case some of my readers
may doubt its truth, I would remind them how
difficult it is to kill some of those creatures with
which we are all familiar. The common worm,
for instance, may be cut mto a number of small
pieces, and yet each piece remains alive for some
time after.

The skin of the shark is valued by the whale-

^ See frontispiece.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

men, because, when cleaned and dry, it is as good
as sand-paper, and is much used in polishing the
various things they make out of whales' bones and
teeth.

When the last piece of blubber had been cut off
our whale, the great chain that held it to the
ship's side was cast off, and the now useless
carcass sank like a stone, much to the sorrow of
some of the smaller birds, which, having been
driven away by their bigger comrades, had not fed
so heartily as they wished perhaps! But what
was loss to the gulls was gain to the sharks, which
could follow the carcass down into the deep and
devour it at their leisure.

" Now, lads," cried the mate, when the remains
had vanished, " rouse up the fires, look alive, my
hearties ! "

"Ay, ay, sir," was the ready reply, cheerfully
given, as every man sprang to his appointed duty.

And so, having "cut in" our whale, we next
proceeded to " try out " the oil.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

CHAPTER V

A STORM, A MAN OVERBOARD, AND A RESCUE

THE scenes in a whaleman's life are varied and
very stirring. Sometimes lie is floating on the
calm ocean, idling about the deck and whisthng
for a breeze, when all of a sudden the loud cry is
heard, " There she blows ! " and in a moment the
boats are in the water, and he is engaged in all
the toils of an exciting chase. Then comes the
battle with the great leviathan of the deep, with
all its risks and dangers. Sometimes he is un-
fortunate, the decks are clean, he has nothing to
do. At other times he is lucky, " cutting in " and
" trying out " engage all his energies and attention.
Frequently storms toss him on the angry deep,
and show him, if he will but learn the lesson, how
helpless a creature he is, and how thoroughly
dependent at all times for life, safety, and success,
upon the arm of God.

" Trying out " the oil, although not so thrilling
a scene as many a one in his career, is, neverthe-
less, extremely interesting, especially at night.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

when the glare of the fires in the try-works casts
a deep red glow on the feces of the men, on the
masts and sails, and even out upon the sea.

The try-works consisted of two huge melting-
p^ts fixed upon brick-work fireplaces between the
fore and main masts. While some of the men
were down in the blubber-room cutting the
" blanket-pieces," as the largest masses are called,
others were pitching the smaller pieces on deck,
where they were seized by two men v/ho stood
near a block of wood, called "a horse," with a
mincing knife, to slash the junks so as to make
them melt easily. These were then thrown into
the melting-pots by one of the mates, who kept
feeding the fires with such "scraps" of blubber
as remain after the oil is taken out. Once the
fires were fairly set agoing no other kind of fuel
was required than "scraps" of blubber. As the
boiling oil rose it was baled into copper cooling-
tanks. It was the duty of two other men to dip
it out of these tanks into casks, which were then
headed up by our cooper, and stowed away in the
hold.

As the night advanced the fires became redder
and brighter by contrast, the light shone and
glittered on the bloody decks, and, as we plied our
dirty work, I could not help thinking, "what
would my mother say, if she could get a peep at
me now ? "

The ship's crew worked and slept by watches,

r ^ » I

FIGHTING THE WHALES

:<i)

for the fires were not allowed to go out all night.
About midnight I sat down on the windlass to
take a short rest, and began talking to one of the
men, Fred Borders by name. He was one of the
quietest and most active men in the ship, and,
being quite a young man, not more than nineteen,
he and I drew to one another, and became very
intimate.

"I think we're goin' to have a breeze. Bob,"
said he, as a sharp puff of wind crossed the deck,
driving the black smoke to leeward, and making
the fire flare up in the try- works.

" I hope it won't be a storm, then," said I, " for
it will oblige us to put out the fires."

Just then Tom Lokins came up, ordered Fred
to go and attend to the fires, sat down opposite to
me on the windlass, and began to " lay down the
law " in regard to storms.

" You see, Bob Ledbury," said he, beginning to
fill his pipe, "young fellers like you don't know
nothin' about the weather — 'cause why ? you 've
got no experience. Now, I '11 put you up to a
dodge consarning this very thing."

I never found out what was the dodge that
Tom, in his wisdom, was to have put me up to,
for at that moment the captain came on deck, and
gave orders to furl the top-gallant sails.

Three or four of us ran up the rigging like
monkeys, and in a few minutes the sails were
lashed to the yards

FIGHTING THE WHALES

The wind now began to blow steadily from the
nor'-west ; but not so hard as to stop our try- works
for more than an hour. After that it blew stiff
enough to raise a heavy sea, and we were
compelled to slack the fires. This was all the
harm it did to us, however, for although the
breeze was stiffish, it was nothing like a gale.

As the captain and the first mate walked the
quarter-deck together, I heard the former say to
the latter, " I think we had as well take in a reef
in the topsails. All hereabouts the fishing-ground
is good, we don't need to carry on."

The order was given to reduce sail, and the
men lay out on the toT^^ail yards. I noticed that
my friend Fred Borders was the first man to
spring up the shrouds a,nd lay out on the main-
top-sail yard. It was so dark that I could
scarcely see the masts. While I was gazing up,
I thought I observed a dark object drop from the
yard; at the same moment there was a loud
shriek, followed by a plunge in the sea. This
was succeeded by the sudden cry, "man over-
board ! " and instantly the whole ship was in an
uproar.

No one who has not heard that cry can under-
stand the dreadful feelings that are raised in the
human breast by it. My heart at first seemed to
leap into my mouth, and almost choke me. Then
a terrible fear, which I cannot describe, shot
through me, when I thought it might be my

FIGHTING THE WHALES

comrade Fred Borders. But these thoughts and
feelings passed like lightning — in a far shorter
time than it takes to write them down. The
shriek was still ringing in my ears, when the
captain roared —

" Down your helm ! stand by to lower away the
boats."

At the same moment he seized a light hen-coop
and tossed it overboard, and the mate did the
same with an oar in the twinkling of an eye.
Almost without knowing what I did, or why I
did it, I seized a great mass of oakum and rubbish
that lay on the deck saturated with oil, I thrust
it into the embers of the fire in the try-works^
and hurled it blazing into the sea.

The ship's head was thrown into the wind, and
we were brought to as quickly as possible. A
gleam of hope arose within me on observing that
the mass I had thrown overboard continued still
to burn; but when I saw how quickly it went
astern, notwithstanding our vigorous efforts to stop
the ship, my heart began to sink, and when, a few
moments after, the light suddenly disappeared,
despair seized upon me, and I gave my friend up
for lost.

At that moment, strange to say, thoughts of
my mother came into my mind, I remembered
her words, "Call upon the Lord, my dear boy,
Avhen you are in trouble." Although I had given
but little heed to prayer, or to my Maker, up to

FIGHTING THE WHALES

that time, I did pray, then and there, most
earnestly that my messmate might be saved. I
cannot say that I had much hope that my prayer
would be answered — indeed I think I had none,
— still, the mere act of crying in my distress to
the Almighty afforded me a little relief, and it
was with a good deal of energy that I threw myself
into the first boat that was lowered, and pulled at
the oar as if my own life depended on it.

A lantern had been fastened to the end of an
oar and set up in the boat, and by its faint light
I could see that the men looked very grave. Tom
Lokins was steering, and I sat near him, pulling
the aft oar.

" Do you think we 've any chance, Tom ? "
said I.

A shake of the head was his only reply.

" It must have been here away," said the mate,
who stood up in the bow with a coil of rope at
his feet, and a boat-hook in his hand. " Hold on,
lads, did any one hear a cry ? "

No one answered. We all ceased pulling, and
listened intently ; but the noise of the waves and
the whisthng of the winds were all the sounds we
heard.

" What 's that floating on the water ? " said one
of the men, suddenly.

" Where away ? " cried every one eagerly.

"Right off the lee-bow — there, don't you see
it?"

FIGHTING THE WHALES

At that moment a faint cry came floating over
the black water, and died away in the breeze.

The single word " Hurrah ! " burst from our
throats with all the power of our lungs, and we
bent to our oars till we wellnigh tore the rollicks
out of the boat.

"Hold hard! stern all!" roared the mate, as
we went flying down to leeward, and almost ran
over the hen-coop, to which a human form was
seen to be clinging with the tenacity of a drowning
man. We had swept down so quickly, that we
shot past it. In an agony of fear lest my friend
should be again lost in the darkness, I leaped up
and sprang into the sea. Tom Lokins, however,
had noticed what I was about ; he seized me by
the collar of my jacket just as I reached the
water, and held me with a grip like a vice till one
of the men came to his assistance, and dragged
me back into the boat. In a few moments more
we reached the hen-coop, and Fred was saved !

He was half dead with cold and exhaustion,
poor fellow, but in a few minutes he began to
recover, and before we reached the ship he could
speak. His first words wei'e to thank God for
his deliverance. Then he aJded —

"And, thanks to the men that flung that light
overboard. I should have gone down but for that.
It showed me where the hen-coop was."

I cannot describe the feeling of joy that filled
my heart when he said this.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

"Ay, who wos it that throw'd that fire over-
board ? " inquired one of the men.

"Don't know," repHed another, "I think it wos
the cap'n."

"You'll find that out when we get aboard,"
cried the mate; "pull away, lads."

In five minutes Fred Borders was passed up
the side and taken down below. In two minutes
more we had him stripped naked, rubbed dry
wrapped in hot blankets, and set down on one of
the lockers, with a hot brick at his feet, and a
stiff can of hot rum and water in his hand.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

CHAPTER VI

THE WHALE— FIGHTING BULLS, ETC.

\ S the reader may, perhaps, have been asking-
-^ a few questions about the whale in his own
mind, I shall try to answer them, by telling a few
things concerning that creature which, I think,
are worth knowing.

In the first place, the whale is not a fish ! I
have applied that name to it, no doubt, because
it is the custom to do so; but there are great
differences between the whales and the fishes.
The mere fact that the whale hves in water is not
sufiScient to prove it to be a fish. The frog lives
very much in water— he is born in the water, and,
when very young, he lives in it altogether— would
die, in fact, if he were taken out of it ; yet a frog
is not a fish.

The following are some of the differences exist-
ing between a whale and a fish :— The whale is a
warm-blooded animal; the fish is cold-blooded.
The whale brings forth its young ahve; while
most fishes lay eggs or spawn. Moreover, the

X..

FIGHTING THE WHALES

fish lives entirely under water, but the whale
cannot do so. He breathes air through enormous
lungs, not gills. If you were to hold a whale's
head under water for much longer than an hour,
it would certainly be drowned; and this is the
reason why it comes so frequently to the surface
of the sea to take breath. Whales seldom sitay
more than an hour under water, and whan they
come up to breathe, they discharge the last breath
they took through their nostrils or blow-holes,
mixed with large quantities of water which they
have taken in while feeding. But the most
remarkable point of difference between the whale
and fishes of all kinds is, that it suckles its young.

The calf of one kind of whale is about fourteen
feet long when it is born, and it weighs about a ton.
The cow- whale usually brings forth only one calf
at a time, and the manner in which she behaves to
her gigantic baby shows that she is affected by
feelings of anxiet}^ and affection such as are never
seen in fishes, which heartless creatures forsake
their eggs when they are laid, and I am pretty
sure they would not know their own children if
they happened to meet with them.

The whale, on the contrary, takes care of her
little one, gives it suck, and sports playfully with
it in the waves ; its enormous heart throbbing all
the while, no doubt, with satisfaction.

I have heard of a whale which was once driven
into shoal water with its calf and nearly stranded.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

The huge dam seemed to become anxious for the
safety of her child, for she was seen to swim
eagerly round it, embrace it with her fins, and
roll it over in the waves, trying to make it follow
her into deep water. But the calf was obstinate ;
it would not go, and the result was that the boat
of a whaler pulled up and harpooned it. The
poor little whale darted away like lightning on
receiving the terrible iron, and ran out a hundred
fathoms of line ; but it was soon overhauled and
killed. All this time the dam kept close to the
side of its calf, and not until a harpoon was
plunged into her own side would she move away.
Two boats were after her. With a single rap
of her tail she cut one of the boats in two, and
then darted off. But in a short time she turned
and came back. Her feelings of anxiety had
returned, no doubt, after the first sting of pain
was over, and she died at last clo^e to the side of
her young one.

There are various kinds of whales, but the two
sorts that are most sought after are the common
whale of the Greenland Seas, which is called the
" right whale," and the sperm whale of the South
Sea. Both kinds are found in the south ; but the
sperm whale never goes to the North Seas. Both
kinds grow to an enormous size — sometimes to
seventy feet in length, but there is considerable
difference in their appearance, especially about the
head. In a former chapter I have partly described

FIGHTING THE WHALES

tho head of a right whale, which has whalebone
instead of teeth, with its blow-holes on the back
of the head. The sperm whale has large white
teeth in its lower jaw and none at all in the upper.
It has only one blow-hole, and that a little one,
much farther forward on its head, so that sailors
can tell, at a great distance, what kind of whales
they see simply by their manner of spouting.

The most remarkable feature about the sperm
whale is the bluntness of its clumsy head, which
looks somewhat like a big log with the end sawn
square off, and this head is about one-third of its
entire body.

The sperm whale feeds differently from the
right whale. He seizes his prey with his powerful
teeth, and lives, to a great extent, on large cuttle
lish. Some of them have been seen to vomit
lumps of these cuttle-fish as long as a whale-boat.
He is much fiercer, too, than the right whale,
which almost always takes to flight when struck,
but the sperm whale will sometimes turn on its
foes and smash their boat with a blow of his blunt
head or tail.

Fighting-whales, as they are called, are not un-
common. These are generally old bulls, which
have become wise from experience, and give the
whalers great trouble-^sometimes carrying away
several harp'" u^ and lines. The lower jaw of one
old ^"'lU ( ' 'id was found to be sixteen feet

lor tsr^ ' .orty-eight teeth, some of them

'ji

~i*

FIGHTING THE WHALES

a foot long. A number of scars about his head
showed that this fellow had been in the wars.
When two bull-whales take to fighting, their
great effort is to catch each other by the lower
jaw, and, when locked together, they struggle with
a degree of fury that cannot be described.

It is not often that the sperm whale actually
attacks a ship ; but there are a few cases of this
kind which cannot be doubted. The following
story is certainly true; and while it shows how
powerful a creature the whale is, it also shows
what terrible risk and sufferings the whaleman
has frequently to encounter.

In the month of August 1819, the American
whaleship Essex sailed from . Nantucket for the
Pacific Ocean. She was commanded by Captain
Pollard. Late in the autumn of the same year,
when in latitude 40° of the South Pacific, a shoal,
or " school," of sperm whales was discovered, and
three boats were immediately lowered and sent in
pursuit. The mate's boat was struck by one of
the fish during the chase, and it was found neces-
sary to return to the ship to repair damages.

While the men were employed at this, an enor-
mous whale suddenly rose quite close to the ship.
He was going at nearly the same rate with the ship
— about three miles an hour ; and the men, who
wei*e good judges of the size of whales, thought
that it could not have been less than eighty-five
feet long. All at once he ran against the ship,

FIGHTING THE WHALES

striking her bows, and causing her to tremble like
a leaf. The whale immediately dived and passed
under the ship, and grazed her keel in doing so.
This evidently hurt his back, for he suddenly rose
to the surface about fifty yards off, and commenced
lashing the sea with his tail and fins as if suffering
great agony. It was truly an awful sight to be-
hold that great monster lashing the sea into foam
at so short a distance.

In a short time he seemed to recover, and started
off at great speed to windward. Meanwhile the
men discovered that the blow received by the
ship had done her so much damage, that she
began to fill and settle down at the bows ; so they
rigged the pumps as quickly as possible. While
working them one of the men cried out —

" God have mercy ! he comes again ! "

This was too true. The whale had turned, and
was now bearing down on them at full speed,
leaving a white track of foam behind him. Bush-
ing at the ship like a battering-ram, he hit her
fair on the weather bow and stove it in, after
which he dived and disappeared. The horrified
men took to their boats at once, and in ten
minutes the ship went down.

The condition of the men thus left in three open
boats far out upon the sea, without provisions or
shelter, was terrible indeed. Some of them per-
ished, and the rest, after suffering the severest
hardships, reached a low island called Ducies on

FIGHTING THE WHALES

the 20tli of December. It was a mere sand-bank,
which supplied them only with water and sea-
fowl. Still even this was a mercy, for which they
had reason to thank God ; for in cases of this kind
one of the evils that seamen have most cause to
dread is the want of water.

Three of the men resolved to remain on this
sand-bank, for dreary and uninhabited though it
was, thoy preferred to i ake their chance of being
picked up by a passing ship rather than run the
risks of crossing the wide ocean in open boats,
so their couipanions bade them a sorrowful fare-
well, and left them. But this island is far out of
the usual track of ships. The poor fellows have
never since been heard of.

It was the 27 th of December when the three
boats left the sand-bank with the remainder of
the men, and began a voyage of two thousand
miles, towards the island of Juan Fernandez. The
mate's boat was picked up, about three months
after, by the ship Indian of London, with only
three living men in it. About the same time the
captain's boat was discovered, by the Dauphin of
Nantucket, with only two men living ; and these
unhappy beings had only sustained life by feeding
on the flesh of their dead comrades. The third
boat must have been lost, for it was never heard
of; and out of the whole crew of twenty men, only
five returned home to tell their eventful story.

Before resuming the thread of my narrative, 1

FIGHTING THE WHALES

must not omit to mention, that in the head of the
sperm whale there is a large cavity or hole called
the " case," which contains pure oil that does not
require to be melted, but can be bailed at once
into casks and stowed away. This is the valuable
spermaceti from whi^h the finest candles are
made. One whale will sometimes yield fifteen
barrels of spermaceti oil from the "case" of its
head. A large fish will produce from eighty to a
hundred barrels of oil altogether, sometimes much
more; and when whalemen converse with each
other about the size of whales, they speak of
" eighty-barrel fish," and so on.

Although I have written much about the fight-
ing powers of the sperm whale, it must not be
supposed that whales are by nature fond of fight-
ing. On the contrary, the " right" whale is a timid
creature, and never shows fight except in defence
of its young. And the sperm whale generally
takes to flight when pursued. In fact, most of the
accidents that happen to whalemen occur when the
wounded monster is lashing the water in blind
terror and agony.

The whale has three bitter enemies, much
smaller, but much bolder than himself, and of
these he is terribly afraid. They are — the sword-
fish, the thrasher, and the killer. The first of
these, the swordfish, has a strong straight horn or
sword projecting from his snout, with which he
boldly attacks and pierces the whale. The thrasher

FIGHTING THE WHALES

is a strong fish, twenty feet long, and of great
weight. Its method of attack is to leap out of the
water on the whale's back, and deal it a tremendous
blow with its powerful tail.

The swordfish and thrasher sometimes act
together in the attack; the first stabbing him
below, and the second belabouring him abo\'e,
while the whale, unable, or too frightened to fight,
rushes through the water, and even leaps its whole
gigantic length into the air in its endeavours to
escape. When a whale thus leaps his whole length
out of the water, the sailors say he " breaches," and
breaching is a common practice. They seem to do
it often for amusement as well as from terror.

But the most deadly of the three enemies is the
killer. This is itself a kind of small whale, but it
is wonderfully strong, swift, and bold. When one
of the killers gets into the middle of a school of
whales, the frightened creatures are seen flying in
all directions. His mode of attack is to seize his
big enemy by the jaw, and hold on until he is
exhausted and dies.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

CHAPTER VII

TOM'S WISDOM — ANOTHER GREAT BATTLE

ONE day I was standing beside the windlass,
listening to tlie conversation of five or six of
the men, who were busy sharpening harpoons and
cutting-knives, or making all kinds of toys and
things out of whales' bones. We had just finished
cutting in and trying out our third whale, and as
it was not long since we reached the fishing-ground,
we were in high hopes of making a good thing of
it that season; so that every one was in good
spirits, from the captain down to the youngest
man in the ship.

Tom Lokins was smoking his pipe, and Tom's
pipe was an uncommonly black one, for he smoked
it very often. Moreover, Tom's pipe was uncom-
monly short, so short that I always wondered how
he escaped burning the end of his nose. Indeed,
some of the men said that the redness of the end
of Tom's nose was owing to its being baked like
a brick by the heat of his pipe. Tom took this
pipe from his mouth, and while he was pushing

FIGHTING THE WHALES

down the tobacco with the end of his Httle finger,
he said —

" D' ye know, lads, I 've been thinkin' "

" No, have ye ? " cried one of the men, inter-
rupting him with a look of pretended surprise.
" Well now, I do think, messmates, that we should
ax the mate to make a note o' that in the log, for
it 's not often that Tom Lokins takes to thinkin'."

There was a laugh at this, but Tom, turning
with a look of contempt to the man who inter-
rupted him, replied —

" 1 11 tell you wot it is. Bill Blunt, if all the
thoughts that you think, and especially the jokes
that you utter, wos put down in the log, they 'd be so
heavy that I do believe they would sink the ship !"

" Well, well," cried Bill, joining in the laugh
against himself, " if they did, your jokes would be
so light and triflin' that I do believe they 'd float
her again. But what have you been a-thinkin' of,
Tom ? "

" I 've been thinkin'," said Tom slowly, " that if
a whale makes his breakfast entirely off them little
things that you can hardly see when you get 'em
into a tumbler — I forget how the captain calls 'em
— wot a tree-mendoits heap of 'em he must eat in
the course of a year ! "

" Thousands of 'em, I suppose," said one of the
men.

" Thousands ! " cried Tom, " I should rather say
billions of them."

FIGHTING THE WHALES

" How much is billions, mate ? " inquired Bill.

" I don't know," answered Tom. " Never could
find out. You see it's heaps upon heaps of
thousands, for the thousands come first and the
billions afterwards; but when I've thought un-
common hard, for a long spell at a time, 1 always
get confused, because millions comes in between,
d'ye see, and that 's puzzlin'."

"I think I could give you some notion about
these things," said Fred Borders, who had been
quietly listening all the time, but never putting in
a word, for, as I have said, Fred was a modest
bashful man and seldom spoke much. But we
had all come to notice that when Fred spoke, he
had always something to say worth hearing ; and
when he did speak he spoke out boldly enough.
We had come to have feelings of respect for our
young shipmate, for he was a kind-hearted lad, and
we saw by his conversation that he had been better
educated than the most of us, so all our tongues
stopped as the eyes of the party turned on him.

" Come, Fred, let 's hear it then," said Tom.

" It 's not much I have to tell," began Fred,
" but it may help to make your minds clearer on
this subject. On my first voyage to the whale
fishery (you know, lads, this is my second voyage)
I went to the Greenland Seas. We had a young
doctor aboard with us — quite a youth ; indeed he
had not finished his studies at college, but he was
cleverer, for all that, than many an older man that

FIGHTING THE WHALES

had gone through his whole course. I do believe
that the reason of his being so clever was, that he
was for ever observing things, and studying them,
and making notes, and trying to find out reasons.
He was never satisfied with knowing a thing ; he
must always find out why it was. One day I
heard him ask the captain what it was that made
the sea so green in some parts of those seas. Our
captain was an awfully stupid man. So long as he
got plenty oil he didn't care two straws for the
reason of anything. The young doctor had been
bothering him that morning with a good many
questions, so when he asked him what made the
sea green, he answered sharply, * I suppose it
makes itself green, young man,' and then he
turned from him with a fling.

" The doctor laughed, and came forward among
the men, and began to tell us stories and ask
questions. Ah ! he was a real hearty fellow ; he
would tell you all kinds of queer things, and would
pump you dry of all you knew in no time. Well,
but the thing I was going to tell you was this.
One of the men said to him he had heard that the
greenness of the Greenland Sea was caused by the
little things like small bits of jelly on which the
whales feed. As soon as he heard this he got a
bucket and hauled some sea water aboard, and for
the next ten days he was never done working away
with the sea- water ; pouring it into tumblers and
glasses; looking through it by daylight and by

FIGHIING THE WHALES

lamplight; tasting it, and boiling it, and examin-
ing it with a microscope."

" What 's a microscope ? " inquired one of the
men.

" Don't you know ? " said Tom Lokins, " why
it 's a glass that makes little things seem big, when
ye look through it. I've heerd say that beasts
that are so uncommon small that you can't see
them at all are made to come into sight and look
quite big by means o' this glass. But I can't my-
self say that it 's true."

" But I can," said Fred, " for I have seen it with
my own eyes. Well, after a good while, I made
bold to ask the young doctor what he had found
out.

" ' I 've found,' " said he, ' that the greenness of
these seas is in truth caused by uncountable num-
bers of medusae—

> })

" Ha ! that 's the word," shouted Tom Lokins,
"Medoosy, that's wot the captain calls 'em.
Heave ahead, Fred."

"Well, then," continued Fred, "the young
doctor went on to tell me that he had been count-
ing the matter to himself very carefully, and he
found that in every square mile of sea- water there
were living about eleven quadrillions, nine hun-
dred and ninety-nine trillions of these little crea-
tures ! "

' Oh ! hallo ! come now ! " we all cried, opening
our eyes very wide indeed.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

" But, I say, how much is that ? " inquired Tom
Lokins.

" Ah ! that 's just what I said to the young
doctor, and he said to me, 'I'll tell you what,
Fred Borders, no man alive understands how much
that is, and what 's more, no man ever will ; but
I '11 give you some notion of what it means ' ; and
so he told me how long it would take forty
thousand men to count that number of eleven
quadrillions, nine hundred and ninety-nine tril-
lions, each man of the forty thousand beginning
' one,* * two,' ' three,' and going on till the sum of
the whole added together would make it up. Now,
how long d' ye think it would take them ? — guess."

Fred Borders smiled as he said this, and looked
round the circle of men.

" I know," cried one, " it would take the whole
forty thousand a week to do it."

" Oh ! nonsense, they could do it easy in two
days," said another.

" That shows how little you know about big
numbers," observed Tom Lokins, knocking the
ashes out of his pipe. " I 'm pretty sure it couldn't
be done in much less than six months ; workin'
hard all day, and makin' allowance for only one
hour off' for dinner."

"You're all wrong, shipmates," said Fred
Borders. "That young doctor told me that if
they 'd begun work at the day of creation they
would only have just finished the job last year ! "

FIGHTING THE WHALES

" Oil ! gammon, you 're jokin*," cried Bill Blunt.

" No, I 'm not," said Fred, " for I was told after-
wards by an old clergyman that the young doctor
was quite right, and that any one who was good
at 'rithmetic could work the thing out for himself
in less than half-an-hour."

Just as Fred said this there came a loud cry
from the mast-head that made us all spring to our
feet like lightning.

" There she blows ! There she breaches ! "

The captain was on deck in a moment.

" Where away ? " he cried.

'* On the lee beam, sir. Sperm whale, about
two miles off. There she blows ! "

Every man Avas at his station in a moment ; for,
after being some months out, we became so used
to the work, that we acted together like a piece of
machinery. But our excitement never abated in
the least.

" Sing out when the ship heads for her."

" Ay, ay, sir."

" Keep her away ! " said the captain to the man
at the helm. " Bob Ledbury, hand me the spy-
glass."

" Steady," from the mast-head.

" Steady it is," answered the man at the helm.

While we were all looking eagerly out ahead we
heard a thundering snore behind us, followed by a
heavy splash. Turning quickly round, we saw
the flukes of an enormous whale sweeping through

FIOHTINO THE WHALES

the air not more than six hundred yards astern
of us.

" Down your helm," roared the captain ; " haul
up the mainsail, and square the yards. Call all
hands."

" All hands, ahoy !" roared Bill Blunt, in a voice
of thunder, and in another moment every man in
the ship was on deck.

" Hoist and swing the boats," cried the captain.
" Lower away."

Down went the boats into the water ; the men
were into their places almost before you could
wink, and we pulled away from the ship just as
the whole rose the second time, about half a mile
away to leeward.

From the appearance of this whale we felt
certain that it was one of the largest we had yet
seen, so we pulled after it with right good will.
I occupied my usual place in the captain's boat,
next the bow oar, just beside Tom Lokins, who
was ready with his harpoons in the bow. Young
Borders pulled the oar directly in front of me.
The captain himself steered, and, as our crew was
a picked one, we soon left the other two boats
behind us.

Presently a small whale rose close beside us,
and, sending a shower of spray over the boat,
went down in a pool of foam. Before we had
time to speak, another Avhale rose on the opposite
side of the boat, and then another on our starboard

FIOHTINO THE WHALES

bow. We had got into the rniddlo of a shoal of
whales, which commenced leaping and spouting
all round us, little aware of the dangerous enemy
that was so near.

In a few minutes more up comes the big one
again that we had first seen. He seemed very
active and wild. After blowing on the surface
once or twice, about a quarter of a mile off, he
peaked his flukes, and pitched down head fore-
most.

"Now then, lads, he's down for a long dive,"
said the captain; "spring your oars like men,
we '11 get that fish for certain, if you '11 only pull."

The captain was mistaken ; the whale had only
gone down deep in order to come up and breach,
or spring out of the water, for the next minute he
came up not a hundred yards from us, and leaped
his whole length into the air.

A shout of surprise broke from the men, and
no wonder, for this was the largest fish I ever saw
or heard of, and he came up so clear of the water
that we could see him from head to tail as he
turned over in the air, exposing his white belly
to view, and came down on his great side with a
crash like thunder, that might have been heard
six miles off. A splendid mass of pure white
spray burst from the spot where he fell, and in
another moment he was gone.

"I do believe it's New Zealand Tom" cried
Bill Blunt, referring to an old bull whale that had

FIGHTING THE WHALES

become famous among the men who frequented
these seas for its immense size and fierceness, and
for the great trouble it had given them, smashing
some of their boats, and carrying away many of
their harpoons.

" I don't know whether it 's New Zealand Tom
or not," said the captain, "but it's pretty clear
that ho 's an old sperm bull. Give way, lads, we
must get that whale whatever it should cost us."

We did not need a second bidding ; the size of
the fish was so great that we felt more excited
than we had yet been during the voyage, so we
bent our oars till we almost pulled the boat out
of the water. The other boats had got separated,
chasing the little whales, so we had this one all
to ourselves.

" There she blows ! " said Tom Lokins, in a low
voice, as the fish came up a short distance astern
of us.

We had overshot our mark, so, turning about,
we made for the whale, which kept for a consider-
able tir-xO near the top of the water, spouting now
and then, and going slowly to windward. We at
last got within a few feet of the monster, and the
captain suddenly gave the word, " Stand up."

This was to our harponeer, Tom Lokins, who
jumped up on the instant, and buried two
harpoons deep in the blubber.

" Stern all ! " was the next word, and we backed
off with all our might. It was just in time, for,

/*•

FIGHTING THE WHALES

in his agony, the whale tossed his tail right over
our heads, the flukes were so big that they could
have completely covered the boat, and he brought
them down flat on the sea with a clap that made
our ears tingle, Avhile a shower of spray drenched
us to the skin. For one moment I thought it was
all over with us, but we were soon out of immediate
danger, and lay on our oars watching the writhings
of the wounded monster as he lashed the ocean
into foam. The water all round us soon became
white like milk, and the foam near the whale was
red with blood.

Suddenly this ceased, and, before we could pull
up to lance him, he went down, taking the line
out at such a rate that the boat spun round, and
sparks of fire flew from the loggerhead from the
chafing of tl>e rope.

" Hold on ! " cried the captain, and next moment
we were tearing over the sea at a fearful rate,
with a bank of white foam rolling before us, high
above our bows, and away on each side of us like
the track of a. steamer, so that we expected it
every moment to rush, in-board and swamp us. I
had never seen anything like this before. From
the first I had a kind of feeling that some evil
would befall Uo.

While we were tearing over the water in this
way, we saw the other whales coming up every
now and then and blowing quite near to us, and
presently we passed close enough to the first

FIGHTING THE WHALES

mate's boat to see that he was fast to a fish, and
unable, thereibre, to render us help if we should
need it.

In a short time the line began to slack, so we
hauled it in hand over hand, and Tom Lokins
coiled it away in the tub in the stern of the boat,
while the captain took his place in the bow to be
ready with the lance. The whale , oon came up,
and we pulled with all our might towards him.
Instead of making off again, however, he turned
round and made straight at the boat. I now
thought that destruction was certain, for, when T
saw his great blunt forehead coming down on us
like a steamboat, I felt that we could not escape.
I was mistaken. The captain received him on
the point of his lance, and the whale has such a
dislike to pain, that even a small prick will some-
times turn him.

For some time we kept dodging round 'his
fellow ; but he was so old and wise, that he always
turned his head to us, and prevented us from
getting a chance to lance him. At last he turned
a little to one side, and the captain plunged the
lance deep into his vitals.

" Ha ! that 's touched his life," cried Tom, as a
stream of blood flew up from his blow-holes, a
sure sign that he was mortally wounded. But he
was not yet conquered. After receiving the cruel
stab with the lance, he pitched right down, head
foremost, and once more the line began to fly out

FIGHTING THE WHALES

over tho bow. We tried to hold on, but he was
going so straight down that the boat was almost
swamped, and we had to slack off to prevent our
being pulled under water.

Before many yards of the line had run out, one
of the coils in the tub became entangled.

" Look out, lads," cried Tom, and at once throw-
ing the turn off the logger-head, he made an at-
tempt to clear it. The captain, in trying to do the
same thing, slipped and fell. Seeing this, I sprang
up, and, grasping the coil as it flew past, tried to
clear it. Before I could think, a turn whipped
round my left wrist. I felt a wrench as if my
arm had been torn out of the socket, and in a
moment I was overboard, going down with almost
lightning speed into the depths of the sea. Strange
to say, I did not lose my presence of mind. I
knew exactly what had happened. I felt myself
rushing down, down, down with terrific speed;
a stream of fire seemei to be whizzing past my
eyes ; there was a dreadful pressure on my brain,
and a roaring as if of thunder in my ears. Yet,
even in that dread moment, thoughts of eternity,
of my sins, and of meeting with my God, flashed
into my mind, for thought is quicker than the
lightning flash.

Of a sudden the roaring ceased, and I felt my-
self buffeting the water fiercely in my efforts to
reach the surface. I know not how I got free,
but I suppose the turn of the line must l^ave

<
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73

4,\i ,li/_;J

FIGHTING THE WHALES

slackened off somehow. All this happened within
the space of a few brief moments ; but oh ! they
seemed fearfully long to me. I do not think I
could have held my breath a second longer.

When I came to the surface, and tried to look
about me, I saw the boat not more than fifty yards
off, and, being a good swimmer, I struck out for
it, although I felt terribly exhausted. In a few
minutes mv comrades saw me, and, with a cheer
put out the oars and began to row towards me.
I saw that the line was slack, and that they were
hauling it in— a sign that the whale had ceased
running and would soon come to the surface again.
Before they had pulled half-a-dozen strokes I saw
the water open close beside the boat, and the
monstrous head of the whale shot up like a great
rock rising out of the deep.

He was not more than three feet from the boat,
and he came up with such force, that more than
half his gigantic length came out of the water
right over the boat. I heard the captain's loud
cry — " Stern all ! " But it was too late, the whole
weight of the monster's body fell upon the boat ;
there was a crash and a terrible cry, as the whale
and boat went down together.

For a few moments he continued to lash the
Soa in his fury, and the fragments of the boat
floated all round him. I thought that every man,
of course, had been killed ; but one after another
their heads appeared in the midst of blood and

J-IGHTING THE WHALES

foam, and they struck out for oars and pieces of
the wreck.

Providentially, the whale, in his tossings, had
shot a little away from the spot, else every man
must certainly have been killed.

A feeling of horror filled my heart, as I beheld
all this, and thought upon my position. Fortun-
ately, I had succeeded in reaching a broken plank ;
for my strength was now so much exhausted, that
I could not have kept my head above water any
longer without its assistance. Just then I heard
a che^r, and the next time I rose on the swell,
I looked quickly round and saw the mate's boat
making for the scene of action as fast as a stout
and willing crew could pull. In a few minutes
more I was clutched by the arm and hauled into
it. My comrades were next rescued, and we
thanked God when we found that none were
killed, although one of them had got a leg broken,
and another an arm twisted out of joint. They
all, however, seemed to think that my escape was
much more wonderful than theirs ; but I cannot
say that I agreed with them in this.

We now turned our attention to the whale,
which had dived again. As it was now loose, we
did not know, of course, where it would come up :
so we lay still awhile. Very soon up he came,
not far from us, and as fierce as ever.

" Now, lads, we onust get that whale," cried the
mate ; " give way with a will."

FIGHTING THE WHALES

The order was obeyed. The boat ahnost leaped
over the swell, and, before long, another harpoon
was in the whale's back.

" Fast again, hurrah ! " shouted the mate, " now
for the lance."

He gave the monster two deep stabs while he
spoke, and it vomited up great clots of blood,
besides spouting the red stream of life as it rolled
on the sea in its agony, obliging us to keep well
out of its way.

I could not look upon the dying struggles of
this enormous fish without feelings of regret and
self-reproach for helping to destroy it. I felt al-
most as if I were a murderer, and that the Creator
would call me to account for taking part in the
destruction of one of His grandest living creatures.
But the thought passed quickly from my mind
as the whale became more violent and went into
its flurry. It began to lash the sea with such
astonishing violence, that all the previous struggles
seemed as nothing. The water all round became
white like milk, with great streaks of red blood
running through it, and the sound of the quick
blows of its tail and fins resembled that of dull
hollow thunder. We gazed at this scene in deep
silence and with beating hearts.

All at once the struggles ceased. The great
carcass rolled over belly up, and lay extended on
the sea in death. To me it seemed as if a dead
calm had suddenly fallen around us, after a long

FIGHTING THE WHALES

and furious storm, so great was the change when
that whale at length parted with its huge life.
The silence was suddenly broken by three hearty
cheers, and then, fastening a rope to our prize, we
commenced towing it to the ship, which operation
occupied us the greater part of the night, for we
had no fewer than eight miles to pull.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

CHAPTER VIII

DEATH ON THE SEA

THE whale which we had taken, as I have re-
lated in the last chapter, was our largest fish
of that season. It produced ninety barrels of oil,
and was worth about £500, so that we did not
grieve much over the loss of our boat.

But our next loss was of a kind that could not
be made up for by oil or money, for it was the
loss of a human life. In the whale-fishery men
must, like soldiers, expect to risk their lives fre-
quently, and they have too often, alas ! to mourn
over the loss of a shipmate or friend. Up to this
time our voyage had gone prosperously. We had
caught so many fish that nearly half our cargo
was already completed, and if we should be as
lucky the remainder of the voyage, we should be
able to return home to Old England much sooner
than we had expected.

Of course, during all this time we had met with
some disappointments, for I am not describing
everything that happened on that voyage. It

FIGHTING THE WHALES

(

would require a much thicker vokime than this to
tell the half of our adventures. We lost five or
six fish by their sinking before we could get them
made fast to the ship, and one or two bolted so
fast that they broke loose and carried away a
number of harpoons and many a fathom of line.
But such misfortunes were what we had to look
for. Every whaler meets with similar changes of
luck, and we did not expect to fare difterently
from our neighbours. These things did not cause
us much regret beyond the time of their occur-
rence. But it was far otherwise with the loss that
now befell us.

It happened on a Sunday forenoon. I was
standing close to the starboard gangway early
that morning, looking over the side into the calm
water, for there was not a breath of wind, and
talking to the fi^st mate, who was a gruff, surly
man, but a good officer, and kind enough in his
way when everything went smooth with him.
But things don't go very smooth generally in
whaling life, so the mate was oftener gruff than
sweet.

" Bob Ledbury," said he, " have you got your
cutting-in gear in order ? I 've got a notion that
Ave 11 ' raise the oil ' this day."

"All right, sir," said I; "you might shave your-
self with the blubber-spades. That was a good
fish we got last, sir, wasn't it ? "

" Pretty good, though I 've seen bigger."

FIGHTING THE WHALES

" He gave us a deal of trouble too," said I.

"Not so much as I've seen others give," said
he. " When I was fishing in the Greenland Seas
we made fast to a whale that cost us I don't know
how many hundred dollars." (You must know
the first mate was a Yankee, and he reckoned
everything in dollars.)

" How was that, sir ? " asked I.

" Well, it was something in this fashion. We
were floating about in the North Atlantic one
calm, hot day, just something like this, only it was
the afternoon, not the morning. We were doing
nothing, and whistling for a breeze, when, all of
a sudden, up comes five or six whales all round
the ship, as if they had spied her from the bottom
of the sea, and had come up to have a squint at
her. Of course the boats were manned at once,
and in less than no time we were tearing after
them like all alive. But them whales were pretty
wildish, I guess. They kept us puUin' the best
part of five hours before we got a chance at them.
My boat was out of sight of the ship before we
made fast to a regular snorer, a hundred-barrellcr
at the least. The moment he felt the iron, away
he went like the shot out of a gun ; but he didn't
keep it up long, for soon after another of our boats
came up and made fast. Well, for some two or
three hours we held fast, but could not haul on to
him to use the lance, for the moment we came
close up alongside of his tail he peaked flukes and

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FIGHTING THE WHALES

dived, then up again, and away as fast as ever.
It ras about noon before we touched him again ;
but by that time two more harpoons were made
fast, and two other boats cast tow-hnes aboard of
us, and were hauled along. That was four boats,
and more than sixteen hundred fathoms of line,
besides four harpoons that was fast to that whale,
and yet, for all that, he went ahead as fast as we
could have rowed, takin' us along with him quite
easv.

" A breeze having sprung up, our ship over-
hauled us in the course of the afternoon, and
towards evening we sent a line on board, to see if
that would stop the big fish, and the topsails were
lowered, so as to throw some of the ship's weight
on him, but the irons drew out with the strain.
However, we determined to try it again. Another
line was sent aboard about eight o'clock, and the
topsails were lowered, but the line snapped im-
mediately. Well, we held on to that whale the
whole of that night, and at four o'clock next
morning, just thirty-six hours after he was first
struck, two fast lines were taken aboard the ship.
The breeze was fresh, and against us, so the top-
gallant sails were taken in, the courses hauled up,
and the topsails clewed down, yet, I assure you,
that whale towed the ship dead against the wind
for an hour and a half at the rate of two miles an
hour, and all the while beating the water with his
fins and tail, so that the sea was in a continual

FIGHTING THE WHALES

foam. We did not kill that fish till after forty
hours of the hardest work I ever went through."

Some of my shipmates seemed to doubt the
truth of this story; but, for my part, I believed
it, because the mate was a grave, truthful man,
though he was gruff, and never told lies, as far as
I knew. Moreover, a case of the same kind hap-
pened some years afterwards, to a messmate of
mine, while he was serving aboard the Royal
Bounty, on the 28th of May 1817.

I know that some of the stories which I now
tell must seem very wild and unlikely to lands-
men; but those who have been to the whale-
fishery will admit that I tell nothing but the
truth, and if there are any of my readers who are
still doubtful, I would say, go and read the works
of Captain Scoresby. It is well known that this
whaling captain was a truly religious man, who
gave up the fishing, though it turned him in
plenty of money, and became a minister of the
gospel with a small income, so it is not likely that
he would have told what was untrue. Well, in his
works we find stories that are quite as remarkable
as the one I have just told, some of them more so.

For instance, he tells us of one whale, in the
Greenland Seas, which was not killed till it had
drawn out ten thousand four hundred and forty
yards, or about six miles of line, fastened to fifteen
harpoons, besides taking one of the boats entirely
under water, which boat was never seen again.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

The mate told us two or three more stories, and
a lot of us were gathered round him, listening
eagerly, for there is nothing Jack likes so much
as a good yarn, when all of a sudden, the man
at the mast-head sang out that a large sperm
whale was spouting away two points off the lee-
bow. Of course we were at our pests in a moment,
for whalers, generally, don't let the Lord's day
interfere with their work.

Now it happened that this was the first time we
had chanced to see whales on a Sunday. Up to
that time it had never entered into my head to
think of objecting to do work on that day. It was
the custom to obey orders, whatever these should
be, on every day of the week alike, so I went like
the rest to my usual station, without a thought
upon the subject. To the surprise of every one,
Fred Borders, instead of going to his post, went up
to the captain, with a very red face, and, touching
his cap, said —

"Please, sir, it is the Sabbath day. I — I —
would rather not go after the whales to-day, sir."

Those of us who were within hearing opened
our eyes in amazement, and some of the men
laughed right out ; but the captain looked sternly
round, and ordered silence.

Now, although the captain was a kind man, and
all through the voyage had let us do as little work
as possible on Sunday, still he was not a religious
man In fact, he did not pretend to believe in the

FIGHTING THE WHALES

and

ious
the

Bible at all ; so when one of his crew went up to
him in this way, and boldly objected to work, he
flew into a violent passion.

" And, pray, may I ask why you would rather
not go after whales to-day ? " said he, trying to
keep down his anger.

" Because, sir, God's Word forbids working at
our ordinary calling on His day," answered Fred
quietly.

I knew poor Fred's spirit well, and I could see
from the expression of his face, and the heaving
of his breast, how deeply he felt the sneers of his
shipmates, and the contempt of his captain.

" Did you not know, when you shipped with me,
that you would have to work on Sunday as well
as on any other day ? " demanded the captain.

" Yes, sir, I did ; but I did not think so seriously
as I now do. My life has been saved, as you
know, but a short time ago, and God has opened
my eyes to see that, as He is my Maker, and is
constantly doing me good, and watching over me,
the least that I can do for Him is to consider His
wishes, and obey His orders."

The captain was a little softened by this; but
another laugh from one or two of the worst of our
men fired him up again.

" Go, sir," said he sternly, " go to your duty. It
will be time enough for you to preach when you
are appointed chaplain to this ship. Disobey my
orders, if you dare ! "

FIGHTING THE WHALES

Young Bordtrs hung his head, and, turning
slowly away, went to his usual station, where the
crew of the boat he belonged to were already
standing.

" There she blows 1 there she breaches ! " sung
the look-out.

" Lower away ! " roared the captain.

The boats were in the water, and the men on
their seats in a moment ; but Fred hesitated. He
knew the stern laws that exist for the punishment
of mutineers; but he thought of the far more
terrible laws that exist for the punishment of
sinners. God helped him, and he turned boldly
round, and said respectfully —

" Sir, I cannot go "

Before he could say another word, the captain,
who was a very strong man, rushed at him, seized
him by the neck, and hurled him over the side
into the boat. In another moment we were away,
and Fred, seeing that escape was now impossible,
took his oar like the rest.

There was an attempt made by some of the
men to laugh at the poor fellow, but it was quite
plain that the most of them regarded their young
shipmate with greater respect than ever. As for
me, I felt my heart drawn out to him more than
ever, and only wished that I had the pluck to side
with him openly. But although brave enough
for fighting men and whales at that time, I had
not courage to fight against my own cowardly

FIGHTING THE WHALES

bo side

[nougli

I had

wardly

spirit. However, the excitement of the chase soon
turned all our thoughts away from what had just
passed.

The whale we were after was a very large one,
we could see that, for after two hours' hard pulling
we got near enough to throw a harpoon, and after
it was fixed he jumped clean out of the water.
Then there was the usual battle. It was fierce
and long ; so long that I began to fear we would
have to return empty handed to the ship. AVe
put ten harpoons into him, one after another, and
had a stiff run between the fixing of each.

It is astonishing the difference between the fish.
One will give you no trouble at all. I have often
seen a good big fellow killed in half-an-hour.
Another will take you half a day, and perhaps you
may lose him after all. The whale we were now
after at last took to showing fight. He made two
or three runs at the boat, but the mate, who was
in command, pricked him off with the lance
cleverly. At last we gave him a severe wound,
and immediately he dived.

" That was into his life," remarked Tom Lokins,
as we sat waiting for him to come up again. The
captain's boat was close to ours, about ten yards
off. We had not to wait long. The sudden
stoppage and slacking off of all the lines showed
that the whale was coming up. All at once I saw
a dark object rising directly under the captain's
boat. Before I could make out what it was,

100

FIGHTING THE WHALES

almost before I could think, the boat flew up into
the air, as if a powder magazine had exploded
beneath it. The whale had come up, and hit it
with his head right on the keel, so that it was
knocked into pieces, and the men, oars, harpoons,
lances, and tackle shot up in confusion into the
air.

Immediately after that the whale went into his
flurry, but we paid no attention to him, in our
anxiety to pick up our companions. They all
co-me to the surface quickly enough, but while
some made for the boats vigorously, others swam
slowly and with pain, showing that they were hurt,
while one or two floated, as if dead, upon the
water.

Most of the men had escaped with only a few
cuts and bruises, but one poor fellow was hauled
out of the water with a leg broken, and another
was so badly knocked about the head that it was
a long time before he was again fit for duty. The
worst case, however, was that of poor Fred Borders.
He had a leg broken, and a severe wound in the
side from a harpoon which had been forced into
the flesh over tlie barbs, so that we could hardly
get it drawn out. We laid him in the stern of the
boat, where he lay for some time insensible ; but
in a short time he revived, and spoke to us in a
faint voice. His first words were —

" I 'm dying, messmates."

" Don't say that, Fred," said I, while my heart

FIGHTING THE WHALES

101

heart

sank within me. " Cheer up, my boy, you '11 live
to be the death of many a whale yet. See, put
your lips to this can — it will do you good."

He shook his head gently, being too weak to reply.

We had killed a big fish that day, and we knew
that when he was " tried in " we should have com-
pleted our cargo; but there was no cheer given
when the monster turned over on his side, and
the pull to the ship that evening seemed to us the
longest and heaviest we ever had, for our hearts
were very sad.

Next day Fred was worse, and we all saw that
his words would come true, — he was dying. I
never saw a man so cast down in all my life as
our captain was when he came to see that all hope
was over. He was completely broken down. He
walked about the deck, muttering to himself as if
he were deranged, and I overheard him once or
tvvice in the cabin groaning, and saying to himself
that he " had been the death of that lad, body and
soul."

I was permitted to nurse my poor messmate,
and I spent much of my time in reading the Bible
to him, at his own request. Many and many a
time did the captain come down to see him and
to implore his forgiveness ; but although Fred said
that he did forgive him, he would not utter
another word. The captain thought this must be
owing to weakness, but I felt sure there must be
some other reason.

102

FIGHTING THE WHALES

One day (for he lived about a week after the
accident) — one day I said to him, "Fred, why
don't you speak to the captain when he comes to
see you ? I 'm sure it would do him good, and he
needs comfort, poor man, for he's desperately
down about you, and blames himself more than
you think."

" I know it, Bob," said he, in a faint low voice,
" but I can't speak to him somehow. 1 want to
speak to him about his soul, but I don't know how
to begin, and before I can make up my mind ho 's
away."

Just as he said this the captain came below,
and, going to the cot where Fred lay, took his
hand in his, and said tenderly —

" How do you feel now, my dear boy. Are you
suffering much pain ? "

"Not much," replied Fred; then he stopped,
and looked anxiously in the captain's face.

" What would you say, my boy ? You want to
speak to me, I think."

Fred smiled languidly, and said with difficulty,
" I '11 soon be away, captain "

He could not go on, but he pointed upwards
with his finger.

" Ah ! you would tell me that the Lord gives
you comfort. Is that what you would say ? "

" He does," cried Fred with energy, raising him-
self a little, and seizing the captain by the wrist.

At that moment a sudden paleness overspread

FIGHTING THE WHALES

103

his faco, and he sank on the pillow with a deep
sigh. I thought the end had come, but he turned
to me and said in a low voice : " Find the sixteenth
chapter of the Acts, thirty-first verse; also find
Exodus, twentieth chapter, eighth verse. Read
both — read both"

I turned to the chapters he mentioned, and read
as follows, whil' Fred gazed earnestly into the
captain's face, holding his wrist firmly with one
hand, and with a finger of the other pointing to
the Bible. The two verses ran thus : —

"'And they said. Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.'

" * Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.'

" Will you * believe,' will you * remember,'
captain ? " srid the dying man more earnestly.

" 1 will, I will," replied the other, while big tears
rolled over his rugged cheeks, and fell upon the
hand that grasped his wrist so firmly.

Fred smiled faintly, but he did not speak again.

He seemed to have received just strength to
make this one effort to save a human soul, and
then he died. We buried our shipmate in the
usual sailor fashion. We wrapped him in his
hammock, with a cannon-ball at his feet to sink
him. The captain read the burial-service at the
gangway, and then, in deep silence, we committed
his corpse to the deep.

104

PiaHTING THE WHALES

CHAPTER IX

KEEPING THE SABBATH

rPHE death of poor Fred Borders cast a gloom
-■- over the ship for many days. Every one had
respected, and many of us had loved the lad, so
that we mourned for him long and truly. But a
sailor's life is such a rough one, requiring so much
energy and hearty good-will to his work, that he
cannot afford to allow the sorrows of his heart to
sit long on his countenance. In a day or two
after no one would have supposed we had lost one
of our best men. Whales appeared in great num-
bers around us. The old cry of "There she
blows ! " ran out frequently from the mast-head,
and the answering cry from the captain, " Where
away ? " was followed by the " Stand by to lower !
— lower away." Then came the chase, with all its
dangers and excitement — the driving of the har-
poon, the sudden rush of the struck fish, the
smoke and sparks of fire from the logger-head, the
plunging of the lance, the spouting blood, the
" flurry " at the end, and the wild cheer as we be-
held our prize floating calmly on the sea. And

PlfiHTINn THE WHALES

105

in the midst of such work wo forgot for a time the
solemn scene we had so recently witnessed. But
our hearts were not so light as before, and although
we did not show it, I knew full well that many a
joke was checked, and many a laugh repressed,
for the memory of our dead shipmate.

But the man who was most affected by his
death was the captain. This was natural, and
did not surprise us ; but we were not prepared for
the great change that soon appeared in his manner
and conduct. After a time ho laughed with the
rest of us at a good joke, and cheered as loud as
the best when a big fish turned belly up, but his
behaviour to us became more gentle and kind,
and ho entirely gave up the habit of swearing.
He also forbade working on Sunday. Many a
whale have I seen sporting and spouting near us
on that day, but never again after our shipmate's
death did we lower a boat or touch a harpoon on
Sunday. Some of the grumblers used to swear at
this and complain of it to each other, but they
never spoke so as to let the captain hear, and they
soon gave up their grumbling, for the most of us
were well pleased with the change, and all of us
had agreed to it.

The first Sunday after Fred's death, the captain
assembled the crew on the quarter-deck, and
spoke to us about it.

"My lads," said he, "I've called you aft to
make a proposal that may perhaps surprise some

106

FIGHTING THE WHALES

of you. Up to this time, you know very well,
there has been little difference aboard this ship
between Saturday and Sunday. Since our poor
shipmate died 1 have been thinkin' much on this
matter, and I 've come to the conclusion that we
shall rest from all work on the Lord's day, except
such as must be done to work the ship. Now,
lads, you know me well enough by this time. I
have never been a religiouF man all my life, and
I don't pretend to say that I 'm one now. I 'm
not very learned on this matter, and can't explain
myself very well ; but this I know, that in time
past I have neglected and despised my Maker, and
in time to come I mean to try to respect him and
obey his commandments. When poor Fred was
dying, he asked me to promise that I Avould
* believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and remember
the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.' I did promise,
and, with the blessing of God, I mean to try. Now,
what think you, lads, shall we give the whales a
rest on Sundays ? "

We all agreed to this at once, for the effect of
the captain's speech was great upon us. It was
not so much what he said, as the way in which he
said it. He was by nature a bold, determined man,
who never flinched from danger or duty, and when
we heard him talking in that way we could
scarcely believe our ears.

This was all that was said about the matter
between us and the captain, but we had many a

FIGHTING THE WHALES

107

rlien
mid

Itter
a

hot discussion in the forecastle amongst ourselves
after that. Some were in favour of the new move,
and said, stoutly, that the captain was a sensible
fellow. Others said he was becoming an old wife,
and that no luck would follow the ship if the cap-
tain became a parson or a Methodist. In the
course of time, however, we found the benefit of
the change in every way ; and the grumblers were
silenced, because in spite of their wise shakings of
the head, we filled the ship with oil as full as she
could hold, much sooner than we had expected.

And now that I am on this subject, I would
like to say a few words, to show that I am not
merely inventing a tale to drag in a discussion on
the keeping of the Sabbath day. To manly and
straightforward minds it is a pleasure to inquire
into truth, whenever it presents itself in a natural
way. The keeping of Sunday while engaged in
the whale-fishery is a difficulty. Men have found
it so, and have said that the thing is impossible.
Other men have found it difficult, but have said —
and have proved — that the thing is possible. This
is not the place to discuss the great questions, — " Is
the Sabbath binding on men ? " and " How should
it be kept ? " I leave that to abler hands. The
best men in the land have said " Yes " co the first
question. That is sufficient to state here. But
this is the place to tell of what whalemen have
said on this great question.

There is nothing like experience. Let us con-

if=a

108

FIGHTING THE WHALES

sidcr what has been said by one of the greatest
whaling captains that ever lived, in regard to his
experience. It was many years after this first whal-
ing cruise that I came to hear of this good man.

Captain Scoresby, who died at a r^'pe old age a
few years ago, went to the Greenland whale-fishery
when quite a boy, in his father's ship. He con-
tinued in that fishery for many years, and was
very successful. His schooling when young was
thus somewhat interrupted, but he was one of
those strong-minded, sturdy-hearted men, who will
educate themselves in spite of all difficulties. He
seized every opportunity of acquiring knowledge,
and at last became one of the great and learned men
of his day. From early boyhood he was seriously
minded, and he afterwards became a decided
Christian. He had always felt a strong regard for
the Sabbath day, and, after obtaining command of
a ship in the whale-fishery, he resolved to keep
that day holy.

The following are nearly his own words on this
subject, and they are well worthy of the attention
of all thinking men, for the man who uttered them
was a hard-working practical seaman, who knew
his business well, and did his work thoroughly.

Captain Scoresby says: — "Though for several
of the latter voyages which I undertook to the
Northern Seas, it had been our rule to cease as
much as possible from fishing on the Sabbath, it
was not until the year 1820 that I was enabled

FIGHTING THE WHALES

109

regularly to carry the principle into effect. But
in that year we did not once attempt the fishing
on the sacred day. Several of the harponeers
were much displeased with this rule at the begin-
ning of the voyage, for they had such a stake in
the success of the fishery that the capture of a
single large whale would yield them each six or
eight pounds. They thought it a great hardship
that, whilst other ships took advantage of the
seven days of the week, we should be reduced to
six. The chief officer, at the outset, was very
much annoyed at having to waste one day every
week in idleness, and he was heard to say that if
we, under such disadvantages, should make a
successful voyage, he would then believe there was
indeed something like a blessing on the keeping
of the Sabbath.

"The early and middle part of the voyage
turned out vefy unsuccessful. Towards the close
of the season our principles were severely tested,
for on these Sundays, one after the other, a num-
ber of fine whales appeared most invitingly around
us. But in spite of this temptation to "hungry
fishermen," we were enabled to stick to our prin-
ciples, and t^ 3 success which followed was, I
believe, looked on by all on board as a special
blessing from God. On the following Wednesday,
a fine fish was struck, and soon secured. The
next Lord's day was one of sanctified and happy
repose, though fish were astir near us. Early in

110

FIGHTING THE WHALES

the week we were again fortunate. Strengthened
in body and spirits by rest, and blessed, I firmly
believe, by Him who has promised His blessing to
those who * call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of
the Lord, honourable' we killed several whales
under great difficulties. Two were taken on the
Tuesday, and another on Friday — the value of the
three being about £1600.

" A day of sweet and welcome repose was the
succeeding Sabbath. A genial and cloudless at-
mosphere cheered the spirits, whilst all nature,
sparkling under the sun's bright beams, seemed
to participate in the gladness. Several whales
sported around us; but, as far as we were con-
cerned, they were allowed a Sabbath-day's privi-
lege to sport undisturbed. The men were now
accustomed to look for a blessing on the keeping
of the Sabbath."

I have given Mr. Scoresby's opinion on this
point at some length, because, coming from such
a man, it ought to have much weight. But, after
all, what does it come to ? It only proves the
old truth, that God's ways are better than man's
ways, and that man finds his greatest success and
his highest happiness in keeping the command-
ments of his wise and good Creator.

Having made this slight but earnest attempt to
commend this subject to the attention of my
readers, I turn again to our voyage, which was
now drawing rapidly to a close.

FIGHTING THE WHALES

111

CHAPTER X

NEWS FROM HOME — A GAM

SHOREGOING people heave but little notion of
the ease with which the heart of a jack- tar is
made to rejoice when he is out on a long voyage.
His pleasures and amusements are so few that
he is thankful to make the most of whatever
is thrown in his way. In the whale-fisheries, no
doubt, he has more than enough of excitement,
but after a time he gets used to this, and begins
to long for a little variety— and of all the plea-
sures that fall to his lot, that which delights him
most is to have a gam with another ship.

Now, a gam is the meeting of two or more
whale-ships, their keeping company for a time,
and the exchanging of visits by the crews. It is
neither more nor less than a jolHfication on the
sea, — the inviting of your friends to feast and
make merry in your floating house. There is this
difference, however, between a gam at sea and a
party on land, that your friends on the ocean are
men whom you perhaps never saw before, and

112

FIGHTING THE WHALES

whom you will likely never meet again. There
is also another difference — there are no ladies at
a gam. This is a great want, for man is but a
rugged creature when away from the refining
influence of woman ; but, in the circumstances, of
course, it can't be helped.

We had a gam one day, on this voyage, with a
Yankee whale-ship, and a first-rate gam it was.
for, as the Yankee had gammed three days before
with another English ship, we got a lot of news
second-hand ; and, as wo had not seen a new face
for many months, we felt towards those Yankees
like brothers, and swallowed all they had to tell us
like men starving for news.

It was on a fine calm morning, just after break-
fast, that we fell in with this ship. We had seen
no whales for a day or two, but we did not mind
that, for our hold was almost full of oil-barrels.
Tom Lokins and I were leaning over the starboard
bulwarks, watching the small fish that every now
and then darted through the clear-blue water like
arrows, and smoking our pipes in silence. Tom
looked uncommonly grave, and I knew that he
was having some deep and knowing thoughts of
his own which would leak out in time. All at
once he took his pipe from his mouth and stared
earnestly at the horizon.

" Bob," said he, speaking very slowly, " if there
ain't a ship right off the starboard beam, I 'm a
Dutchman."

FIGHTING THE WHALES

113

" You don't mean it ! " said I, starting with a
feeling of excitement.

Before another word could be uttered, the cry
of "Sail ho!" came ringing down from the mast-
head. Instantly the quiet of the morning was
broken ; sleepers sprang U23 and rubbed their eyes,
the men below rushed wildly up the hatchway,
the cook came tearing out of his own private den,
flourishing a soup-ladle in one hand and his tor-
mentors in the other, the steward came tumbling
up with a lump of dough in his fist that he had
forgot to throw down in his haste, and the captain
bolted up from the cabin without his hat.

" Where away ? " cried he, with more than his
usual energy.

" Right off the starboard beam, sir."

" Square the yards ! Look alive, my hearties,"
was the next order; for although the calm sea
was like a sheet of glass, a Hght air, just sufficient
to fill our top-gallant sails, enabled us to creep
through the water.

"Hurrah!" shouted the men as we sprang to
obey.

" What does she look like ? " roared the captain.

" A big ship, sir, I think," replied the lookout :
"but I can only just make out the top of her
main t-gallan' s'l." — (Sailors scorn to speak of top-
gallant sails.)

Gradually, one by one, the white sails of the
stranger rose up like cloudlets out of the sea, and

114

FIGHTING THE WHALES

our hearts beat high with hope and expectation
as we beheld the towering canvas of a full-rigged
ship rise slowly into view.

" Show our colours," said the captain.

In a moment the Union Jack of Old England
was waving at the mast-head in the gentle breeze,
and we watched anxiously for a reply. The
stranger was polite ; his colours flew up a moment
after, and displayed the Stripes and Stars of
America.

" A Yankee ! " exclaimed some of the men in
a tone of slight disappointment.

I may remark, that our disappointment arose
simply from the fact that there was no chance, as
we supposed, of getting news from " home " out
of a ship that must have sailed last from America.
For the rest, we cared not whether they were
Yankees or Britons — they were men who could
speak the English tongue, that was enough
for us.

" Never mind, boys," cried one, " we 11 have a
jolly gam ; that 's a fact."

" So we will," said another, " and I '11 get news
of my mad Irish cousin, Terrence O'Flannagan,
who went out to seek his fortin in Ameriky with
two shillin's and a broken knife in his pocket, and
it 's been said he 's got into a government situation
o' some sort connected with the jails, — whether
as captain or leftenant o' police, or turnkey, I 'm
not rightly sure."

FIGHTING THE WHALES

115

"More likely as a life-tenant of one of the
cells," observed Bill Blunt, laughing.

"Don't speak ill of a better man than yerself
behind his back," retorted the owner of the Irish
cousin. / V

"Stand by to lower the jolly-boat," cried the
captain.

"Ay, ay, sir."

" Lower away ! "

In a few minutes we were leaping over the
calm sea in the direction of the strange ship, for
the breeze had died down, and we were too eager
to meet with new faces, and to hear the sound of
new voices, to wait for the wind.

To our joy we found that the Yankee had had
a gam (as I have already said) with an English
ship a few days before, so we returned to our
vessel loaded with old newspapers from England,
having invited the captain and crew of the Yankee
to come aboard of us and spend the day.

While preparation was being made for the
reception of our friends, we got hold of two of the
old newspapers, and Tom Lokins seized one, while
Bill Blunt got the other, and both men sat down
on the windlass to retail the news to a crowd of
eager men who tried hard to listen to both at
once, and so could make nothing out of either.

" Hold hard, Tom Lokins," cried one. " What 's
that you say about the Emperor, Bill ? "

"The Emperor of Roosia," said Bill Blunt,

116

FIGHTING THE WHALES

reading slowly, and with difficulty, "is — stop a
bit, messmates, wot can this word be? — the
Emperor of Roosia is "

" Blowed up with gunpowder, and shattered to
a thousand pieces," said Tom Lokins, raising his
voice with excitement, as he read from his paper
an account of the blowing up of a mountain
fortress in India.

" Oh ! come, I say, one at a time, if you please,"
cried a harponeer ; " a feller can't git a word of
sense out of sich a jumble."

" Come, messmates," cried two or three voices,
as Tom stopped suddenly, and looked hard at the
paper, " go ahead ! wot have ye got there that
makes ye look as wise as an owl ? Has war been
and broke out with the French ? "

" I do believe he 's readin' the births, marriages,
and deaths," said one of the men, peeping over
Tom's shoulder.

"Read 'em out, then, can't ye?" cried an-
other.

" I say. Bill Blunt, I think this consarns you'
cried Tom : " isn't your sweatheart's name Susan
Croft ? "

" That 's a fact," said Bill, looking up from his
paper, " and who has got a word to say agin the
prettiest lass in all Liverpool ? "

"Nobody's got a word to say against her,"
replied Tom ; " but she 's married, that 's all."

Bill Blunt leaped up as if he had been shot, and

FIOHTINO THE WHALES

117

the blood rushed to his face, as ho seized the
paper, and tried to find the place.

" Where is it, Tom ? let me see it with my own
two eyes. Oh, here it is ! "

The poor man's face grew paler and paler as he
read the following words : —

" Married at Liverpool, on the 5th inst., by the
Rev. Charles Maiason, Edward Gordon, Esq., to
Susan, youngest daughter of Admiral Croft "

A perfect roar of laughter drowned the re-
mainder of the sentence.

"Well done, BiU Blunt— Mister Blunt, we'll
have to call him hereafter," said Tom, with a
grim smile; "I hpd no notion you thought so
much o' yourself as to aim at an iylmiral's
daughter."

" All right, my hearties, chaff away ! " said Bill,
fetching a deep sigh of relief, while a broad grin
played on his weather-beaten visage. "There's
two Susan Crofts, that 's all ; but I wouldn't give
my Susan for all the Admirals' daughters that
ever walked in shoe-leather."

" Hallo ! here come the Yankees," cried the
captain, coming on deck at that moment.

Our newspapers were thrown down at once, and
we prepared to receive our guests, who, we could
see, had just put off from their ship in two boats.
But before they had come within a mile of us,
their attention, as well as ours, was riveted on a
most extraordinary sight.

118

FIGHTING THE WHALES

Not more than a hundred yards ahead of our
ship, a whale came suddenly to the surface of the
water, seeming, by its wild motions, to be in a
state of terror. It continued for some time to
struggle, and lash the whole sea around it into a
white foam.

At once the boats were lowered from both
ships, and we went after this fish, but his motions
were so violent, that we found it utterly impossible
to get near enough to throw a harpoon. When
we had approached somewhat closely, we dis-
covered that it had been attacked by a killer fish,
which was fully twenty feet long, and stuck to it
like a leech. The monster's struggles were made
in trying to shake itself free of this tremendous
enemy, but it could not accomplish this. The
killer held him by the under jaw, and hung on
there, while the whale threw himself out of the
water in his agony, with his great mouth open,
like a huge cavern, and the blood flowing so fast
from the wound that the sea was dyed for a long
distance round. This killer fought like a bull-
dog. It held on until the whale was exhausted,
but they passed away from us in such a confused
struggle, that a harpoon could not be fixed for an
hour after we first saw them. On this being done,
the killer let go, and the whale, being already
half dead, was soon killed.

The Yankee boats were the first to come up
with this fish, so the prize belonged to them. We

FIGHTING THE WHALES

119

were well pleased at this, as wo could afford to let
them have it, seeing that wo could scarcely have
found room to stow away the oil in our hold. It
was the Yankee's first fish, too, so they were in
great sj^irits about it, and towed it to their ship,
singing " Yankee-doodle " with all their might.

As they passed our boat the captain hailed
them.

" I wish you joy of your first fish, sir," said ho
to the Yankee captain.

" Thank you, stranger. I guess we 're in luck,
though it ain't a big one. I say, what sort o'
brute was that that had hold of him? Never
seed sich a crittur in all my life."

" He 's a killer," said our captain.

"A killer! Guess he just is, and no mistake:
if we hadn't helped him, he 'd have done the job
for himself ! What does he kill him for ? "

"To eat him, but I'm told he only eats the
tongue. You '11 not forget that you 've promised
to gam with us to-night," cried our captain, as
they were about to commence pulling again.

" All right, stranger, one half will come to-night,
before sundoAvn ; t'other half to-morrow, if the
calm holds. Good-day. Give way, lads."

The men dipped their oars, and resumed their
song, while we pulled back to our ship. We did
not offer to help them, because the fish was a
small one, and the distance they had to go not
great.

120

FIGHTING THE WHALES

It was near sunset when, according to promise,
the Yankees came on board, and spent a long
evening with us. They were a free, open-hearted,
boastful, conceited, good-humoured set of fellows,
and a jolly night we had of it in the forecastle,
while the mates and captains were enjoying
themselves and spuming their yarns in the
cabin.

Of course, we began with demands for home-
news, and, when we had pumped out of them
every drop they had, we began to songs and
spinning yarns. And it was now that my friend
Tom Lokins came out strong, and went on at such
a rate, that he quite won the hearts of our guests.
Tom was not noisy, and he was slow in his talk,
but he had the knack of telling a good story ; he
never used a wrong word, or a wr>rd too many,
and, having a great deal of humour, men could
not help listening when he began to talk.

After this we had a dance, and here I became
useful, being able to play Scotch reels and Irish
jigs on the fiddle. Then we had songs and yarns
again. Some could tell of furious fights with
whales that made our blood boil; others could
talk of the green fields at home, until we almost
fancied we were boys again ; and some could not
tell stories at all. They had little to say, and
that little they said ill ; and I noticed that many
of those who were perfect bores would cry loudest
to be heard, though none of us wanted to hear

FIGHTING THE WHALES

121

them. We used to quench such fellows by callmg
loudly for a song with a rousing chorus.

It was not till the night was far spent, and the
silver moon was sailing through the starry sky,
that the Yankees left us, and rowed away with a
parting cheer.

122

FIGHTING THE WHALES

CHAPTER XI

RETURN HOME

SIX months after our " gam " with the Yankees
Tom Lokins and I found ourselves seated
once more in the little garret beside my dear old
mother.

" Deary me, Robert, how changed ye are ! "

" Changed, mother ! I should think so ! If
you 'd gone through all that I 've done and seen
since we last sat together in this room you 'd be
changed too."

" And have ye really seen the whales, my boy ? "
continued my mother, stroking my face with her
old hand.

" Seen them ? ay, and killed them too— many
of them."

"You've been in danger, my son," said my
mother earnestly, "but the Lord has preserved
you safe through it all."

" Ay, mother. He has preserved my life in the
midst of many dangers," said I, " for which I am
most thankful ; but He has done more than that.
He has preserved my soul in the midst of dangers

FIGHTING THE WHALES

123

of a far worse kind than one's body falls in with
while fighting the whales. Ill tell ye of that
some other time when we are alone."

There was a short silence after this, during which
my mother and I gazed earnestly at each other,
and Tom Lokins smoked his pipe and stared at
the fire.

"Robert, how big is a whale?" inquired my
mother suddenly.

"How big? why, it's as big as a small ship,
only it 's longer, and not quite so fat."

" Robert," replied my mother gravely, " ye didn't
use to tell untruths; ye must be jokin'."

" Joking, mother, I was never more in earnest
in my life. Why, I tell you that I've seen, ay,
and helped to cut up, whales that were more than
sixty feet long, with heads so big that their mouths
could have taken in a boat. Why, mother, I de-
clare to you that you could put this room into a
whale's mouth, and you and Tom and I could sit
round this table and take our tea upon his tongue
quite comfortable. Isn't that true, Tom ? "

My mother looked at Tom, who removed his
pipe, puffed a cloud of smoke, and nodded his
head twice very decidedly.

" Moreover," said I, "a whale is so big and strong,
that it can knock a boat right up into the air, and
break in the sides of a ship. One day a whale fell
right on top of one of our boats and smashed it all
to bits. Now that 's a real truth ! "

124

FIGHTING THE WHALES

Again my mother looked at Tom Lokins, and
again that worthy man puffed an immense cloud
of smoke, and nodded his head more decidedly
than before. Being anxious to put to flight all
her doubts at once, he said solemnly, " Old ooman,
that's a fact!"

" Robert," said my mother, " tell me something
about the whales."

Just as she said this the door opened, and in
came the good old gentleman with the nose like
his cane-knob, and with as \ind a heart as ever
beat in a human breast. My mother had already
told me that he came to see her regularly once a
week, ever since I went to sea, except in summer,
when he was away in the country, and that he had
never allowed her to want for anything. My mother
one day said to him, " I wonder, sir, why ye take
so much thought for a poor old body like me " ;
to which he replied, " God tells me, ' Blessed are
they that consider the poor.' As I want God's
blessing, this is one of the means I take to get it ;
so, you see," said he, with a smile, " I 'm a selfish
old fellow, for I 'm thinking of myself as well as

you."

I need scarcely say that there was a hearty
meeting between us three, and that wo had much
to say to each other. But in the midst of it all my
mother turned to the old gentleman and said —

"Robert was just going to tell me something
about his adventures with the whales."

FIGHTING THE WHALES

125

■I

" That 's capital ! " cried the old gentleman, rub-
bing his hands. " Corae, Bob, my boy, let 's hear
about 'em."

Being thus invited, I consented to spin them a
yarn. The old gentleman settled himself in his
chair, my mother smoothed her apron, folded her
hands, and looked meekly into my face. Tom
Lokins filled his pipe, stretched out his foot to
poke the fire with the toe of his shoe, and began
to smoke like a steam-engine ; then I cleared my
throat and began my tale, and before I had done
talking that night, I had told them all that I have
told in this little book to you, good reader, almost
word for word.

Thus ended my first voyage to the South Seas.
Many and many a trip have I made since then,
and many a wonderful sight have I seen, both in
the south and in the north. But if I were to write
an account of all my adventures, my little book
would grow into a big one, I must therefore come
to a close.

The profits of this voyage were so great, that
I was enabled to place my mother in a position of
comfort for the rest of her life, which, alas ! was
very short. She died about six months after my
return. I nursed her to the end, and closed her
eyes. The last word she uttered was her Saviour's
name. She died, as she had lived, trusting in the
Lord ; and when I laid her dear head in the grave
my heart seemed to die within me, for I felt that

126

FIGHTING THE WHALES

I had lost one of God's most precious gifts — an
honest, gentle, pious mother.

I 'm getting to be an old man now, but, through
the blessing of God, I am comfortable and happy.
As I have more than enough of this world's goods,
and no family to care for, my chief occupation is
to look after the poor, and particularly the old
women who live in my neighbourhood. After the
work of the day is done, I generally go and spend
the evening with Tom Lokins, who lives near by,
and is stout and hearty still; or he comes and
spends it with me, and, while we smoke our pipes
together, we often fall to talking about those stir-
ring days when, in the strength and hope of youth,
we sailed together to the Scuth Seas, and took to
— Fighting the Whales.

THE END

Printed by T. and A. Constable, Printers to Her Majesty,
at the Edinburgh University Press.

S'«««i

MR. R. M. BALLANTYNE'S

Miscellany of Entertaining and
Instructive Tales.

With Illustrations. Is. each.
Also in a Handsome Cloth Case, Price 20s.

The "Athenaeum " says : — ** There is no more practical way of
communicating elementary information than that which has been
adopted in this series. When we see contained in 124 small pages
(as in ' Fast in the Ice ') such information as a man of fair education
should possess about icebergs, northern lights, Esquimaux, musk-
oxen, bears, walruses, etc., together with all the ordinary incidents
of an Arctic voyage woven into a clear connected narrative, we must
admit that a good work has been done, and that the author deserves
the gratitude of those for whom the books are especially designed,
and also of young people of all classes. "

FIGHTING THE WHALES ; or, Doings and Dangers on a
Fishing Cruise.

n.
AWAY IN THE WILDERNESS; or. Life among the Red
Indians and Fur Traders of North America.

in.
FAST IN THE ICE ; or, Adventures in the Polar Regions.

IV.

CHASING THE SUN ; or. Rambles in Norway.

SUNK AT SEA ; or, The Adventures of Wandering Will in the
Pacific.

Mr, R. M. Ballantync^s Miscellany — continued.

VI.

LOST IN THE FOREST ; or, Wandering Will's Adventures in
South America.

VII.

OVER THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS ; or, Wandering Will in
the Land of the Redskin

VIII.

SAVED BY THE LIFEBOAT ; or, A Tale of Wreck and Rescue
on the Coast.

IX.

THE CANNIBAL ISLANDS ; or, Captain Cook's Adventures
in the South Seas.

HUNTING THE LIONS ; or, The Land of the Negro.

XI.

DIGGING FOR GOLD ; or, Adventures in California.

XII.

UP IN THE CLOUDS ; or, Balloon Voyages.

XIII.

THE BATTLE AND THE BREEZE; or, The Fights and
Fancies of a British Tar.

XIV.

THE PIONEERS : A Tale of the Western Wilderness.

XV.

THE STORY OF THE ROCK.

XVI.

WRECKED, BUT NOT RUINED.

XVII.

THE THOROGOOD FAMILY.

XVIII.

THE LIVELY POLL. A Tale of the North Sea.

LONDON : JAMES NISBET & Co., 21 BERNERS STREET, W.

i-flWfc.»^5^