ain's boat had in the meantime reached one of the whales, just
at the moment that the monster, rising above water, had begun to spout.
Two of the boats remained with him, while two others went in search of
another whale. The captain's boat dashing up rapidly towards the
creature, he stepped to the bows, harpoon in hand. Hurling it with all
his force, he fixed it deeply into the body of the whale; while one of
the other boats coming up, a second harpoon was struck into its body.

"Back off, all!" was the cry, and the crews pulled away with might and
main. The lines were run out to get to a distance from the now
infuriated creature, which, seeing its foes, gave signs of making at
them with open mouth; but they, pulling round towards the tail, avoided
it; and the whale, no longer seeing them, lifting its flukes, dived far
down into the depths of the ocean. The first lines being nearly run
out, others were added on, which also rapidly ran out--a few fathoms
only remaining. A third boat, which had been keeping pace with them,
was now called up, that her lines might be added to those already out.
Just then, however, the lines slackened, and the crews quickly hauled
them in. It was a sign that the whale was once more coming to the
surface. The mighty creature soon appeared, sending out from its
spout-holes jets of blood and foam, and dyeing the water around with a
ruddy hue. Again the boats approached, hauling themselves along by the
lines made fast to its body, to inflict further wounds with the spears
ready in the officers' hands, when the whale again made towards them.
It soon stopped, and began to lash the water furiously with its flukes,
writhing and rolling in agony. Once more it ceased struggling,
apparently exhausted; and the boats dashing up, more spears were struck
into its body. The pain caused by the fresh wounds made it leap above
the surface, and roll and lash the water with its flukes with greater
violence than before, till the whole sea around was a mass of foam
tinged with blood. The whale was in its "flurry." These mighty
exertions could not last long, and at length it lay an inert mass on the
surface. Another whale was captured much in the same manner; when the
boats, taking the creatures in tow, pulled towards the ship, the crews
singing in chorus a song of triumph.

All on board had been eagerly looking out for their arrival. At length
both were towed up, one being firmly secured by lashings