The Polynesian., 1841-09-18
Ell &c TIE d.

PERrLs OF SoUrH SEA WHALING. "Well,
we had waited about half an hour, when we
saw a wailf at the mast head of the ship; we
knew that it was to direct our attention to
some other point, so we looked round the
horizon, and perceived that there was
school of young bulls about three miles
from US We were four boats in all; and
the first mate desired my boat and another
to 60 in chase of them, while he remained
with the other two, for this old whale to come
US again. Well, off we went, and soon
came up with the school. They are the
most awkward part of whae-fshing; for they
are savage, and moreover, easily CALLED,
that is, frightened, picked out one, and
tried TO come up with him but he was very
shy, and at last he raised his head clean out
Of the water, and set off at the rate OF ten
miles an hour, this showed he was aware Of
danger. | had just thought of giving him
up and trying for another, when he suddenly
turned round and came light towards the
boats That we knew meant mischief; but
in coming towards Us he passed close to
the other boat, and the steersman gave him
the harpoon right into him. This made him
more savage, and he stood right for my boat,
ploughing up the sea "a he rushed on" |
was already in the bow with the harpoon, and
the men were all ready with their oars to
pull back, so as to keep clear of him. On
he came; and when his snout was within six
feet Of us, we pulled sharp across him; and
as we went from him gave him the harpoon
deep into the fin. "Starn ALL" was the cry,
as usual, that we might be clear Of him.
He sounded ediately-that is down
he went head foremost; which was what we
were afraid Of, for you see we had only two
hundred fathoms of line in each boat; and
having both harpoons in him, we could not
bend one to the other in case he sounded
deep, for sometimes they 60 down perpen-
dicuIar, and take four lines, or eight hundred
fathons, with them; SO we expected that we
should this time lose the whale as we'll as
our lines, for when they were run out, we
must either cnt or 90 down with him. Well,
the lines ran out so swift that we pured wa
ter on them that they might not fire, and we
thought it was all over, for the lines were
two thirds out, and he was going down as
fast as ever, when all Of sudden he stopped
We were hauling in the slack lines. when
we saw him rising again about quarter Of
a mile off, 1t was hurrah, for we now
thought we had him. or he set with his
nose up, right IN the winds eye, towing the
two boats at the rate Of twelve miles an hour;
our stems cleaving through the sea, and
throwing off the water like plume of teath-
ers on each side Of the bows, while the suns
rays pierced through the spray and formed
bright rainbows We hoped soon to tire
him, and to be able to haul in upon our lines,
50 as to get near enough to give him our Ian
ces; but that was only hope, as you'll hear
OF a sudden he stopped, turned round, and
made right for us, with his jaws open; then
all we had to do was to balk and give him
the lance He did not seem to have made
up his mind which boat he would attack; we
were pretty near together, and he yawed at
one and then at the other At last he made
right for the other boat; and the boatsteerer
lodged him very cleverIy, while he pulled
up to him, and put the lance up to the stock
into his side. He made plunge as if he
was going to sound again; and as he did so,
with his hukes he threw our boat into the
air matter of twenty feet, cutting it clean
in half and one Of the boats thwarts came
right athwart my n.se, and it never has been