The World of Ice

zby dives for his life and saves it-So does the whale and loses it-

were rowing swiftly towards the whale, the whale

aptain in a suppressed voice; "bend your b

hat his harpooner, Amos Parr, was to have the honour of harpooning the first whale. Amos pulled the bow-oar, and behind him was the tub with the line coiled away, and the harpoon bent on to it. Being an experienced whal

nse excitement, as he caught sight of the whal

in a hoarse whisper, "spring har

harpoon, the boat ran right on to the whale's back, and in

the line at that time, as it flew out of the tub, or any accidental entanglement, would have dragged the boat and crew right down: many such fatal accidents occur to whalers, and many a poor fellow has had a foot or an arm torn off, or been dragged overboard and drowned, in consequence of getting entangled. One of the men stood ready with a small hatchet to cut the line in a moment, if necessary; for whales some

tant the fish should rise to the surface. It appeared, suddenly, not twenty yards from the

ce that the effort to back out was hopeless. He bent his head, and the next moment was deep down in the waves. Just as he disappeared the flukes descended on the spot which he had left, and cut the bow of the boat completely away, sending the stern high into the air with a violence that tossed men, and oars, and shattered planks, and cordage, flying over the

ied Fred Ellice in

ed the captain, as his own boat flew past the spot, towed by the whale

was whizzing like lightning; "all right. The mate's men are all safe, sir; I counted them as we shot past, a

he coil, Amos, and hold

whale are tempted to hold on too long; and many instances have happened of boats and their crews being in this way dragged under water and lost. Fortunately the whale dashed horizontally through the water, so that the boat was able to hold on and follow, and in a short time the creature paused and rose for air. A

er Grim was the ship's carpenter, and he took after his name. He was, as the sailors expressed it, a "grim customer," being burnt by the sun to a deep rich brown colour, besides being covered nearly up to the eyes with a thick coal-black beard and moustache, which completely concealed every

a chance yet, we shall, if you give way like tigers. Split your sides, boys-do-th

larly down, as it had done when first struck-and continued to d

he signal of distress, and encouraged his men to use their utmost exertions. "An

id Captain Guy with compressed

the instant the whale should show itself. Up it came, not twenty yards ahead. One short, energetic pull, and the second boat sent a harpoon deep into it, while Grim sprang to the bow and thrust a lance with deadly force deep into the carcass. The monster sent up a stream of mingled blood, oil, and water, and whirled its huge tail so violently that the sound could be heard a mile off. Befo

ther; but as yet it was nearly calm, and the ship was unable to beat up against the light breeze in the wake of the two boats, which were soon far away o

he ran up and down the quarter-deck wrin

cotch and English-in which, although the Scotch words we

s her

or'-wes

the wind holds stiddy, we may ove

under the circumstances. He took the exact bearings of the point at which the boats had disappeared, and during the night, which turned out gusty and threatening, kept making short tacks, while lanterns were hung at the mast-heads, and a huge torch, or rat

light was noticed on the weather-beam. It f

tated whisper, laying his huge hand on the shoulder

ay,

idd

y it i

relaxed into a bland smile, and he smote his thigh powerfully, as he excla

vins, turning in the same direction, screwed up his visage into a knot of earnest attentio

Saunders, as the light flas

!" he shouted, springing forwar

r, was plunging over the swell in the direction of the light. Sooner than was ex

uy, "safe and sound. We don't require ass

congratulating their comrades with that mingled feeling of deep heartiness and a disposition to je

Guy, as he passed the crew on his way to the ca

of his wet clothes as he walked forward, "we got a good

s that,

as thick as the main-mast, and, as luck would have it, down it came slap on the h

nquired Mivins, as our hero sprang

igs with the lances, until he spouted jets of blood, and we made sure of him, when all at once down he went head-foremost like a cannon ball, and took all the line out of both boats, so we had to cut, and he never came up again. At least, if he did it be