at he had towed
the canoe the distance promised, and that she must be cast off. Matua
and our other friends were very sorrowful when they parted from us.
Captain Grimes gave them some flour and water and biscuit and
bread-fruit, and told them how to steer for their island. The canoe was
then cast off. From that day to this, I have never been certain whether
the island the captain spoke of was Matua's own island, or whether he
reached it at all. I know that numbers of canoes are blown away from
the land, and that some reach strange islands far, far-off, where their
crews settle, but that others are lost with all on board.

The _Grampus_ was a vessel of 350 tons,--much smaller than the _Rose_--
but she carried a larger crew. She had six boats, and each boat had a
crew of six men. Often all the boats were away together, so that,
besides the thirty-six men, in them, more were required to manage the
vessel. The boats are about twenty-seven feet long, and four broad, and
sharp at both ends. In each boat are two lines, 200 fathoms long,
coiled away in tubs. In the end of one, an harpoon is fastened. This
is a short spear, and is shot out of a gun like a blunderbuss. There
are several such harpoons, and two or three long lances; besides, a
lantern, light-box, some small flags, and two or more "drogues," which
are square bits of board to be fastened to the harpoon line, in order to
hinder the whale when sinking or swimming away.

It was some time before we fell in with a sperm whale.

Men were stationed at the mast-head and yardarm, on the look-out for
whales, from sunrise to sunset; but it was two weeks before we got to
our fishing-ground. One day, at noon, while those on deck had their
eyes on the galley, waiting for dinner, we were aroused by a cry from
the mast-head, of "There she spouts."

"Where away?" asked Captain Grimes.

The man pointed to the west, and there, not half a mile off, a thin jet
of water was seen rising from a dark object, which we soon saw to be a
huge whale, as long as the ship, "There again," cried the crew, as once
more the jet rose high.

Three boats were lowered; everything was kept ready in them. The crew
slid into them. Away they went in chase, singing--

"Away, my boys; away, my boys: 'tis time for us to go."

We watched the chase from the deck.

"He is going down," cried one.

"No; he spouts again, he spouts again," we all cried, as another jet
rose in the air.

"Yes;