Page:Hunting and trapping stories; a book for boys (IA huntingtrappings00pric).pdf/203

 rowers sit with their feet wide apart and allow the line to run between their legs. The only other furniture in the boat is an ax to cut the line in case of accident, and lances to throw at the whale when the boats get alongside.

As the boats shot away the canoes followed, keeping some distance off for fear of frightening the whale, who was swimming on the surface, unconscious that enemies were swiftly drawing near. The mate's boat reached the whale first, and the instant the crew stopped rowing the harpooner plunged his weapon into the creature's side, yelling, "Back water," while the natives in the canoes screamed with delight. In a second the whale dived, its tail making a mighty splash as it vanished. The line ran out of the barrels and over the bow so fast that the friction almost set fire to the wood-work.

The rope in one barrel is tied to the end of that in the next barrel, so that when one coil runs out the other begins. Already two barrels were empty and only about two hundred feet was left in the third one. The line slackened and the whale came to the surface. Immediately all hands began to haul in and careful recoil the line. The whale soon started off again. This time many of the canoes had gotten in the way and when the line was pulled up taut on the surface three canoes were upset. The boats rushed past and left the natives to be picked up by their companions. Again the line slackened and was pulled in, and then the whale made an unexpected move: suddenly appeared on the surface and rushed at the boat with open jaws. The mate swung the stern around, using so much force that his steering oar nearly snapped, but he was not quick enough. The snout of the monster hit the boat amidship knocking it into splinters, and throwing the crew about in every direction. A wail went up from the natives in the canoes, who thought that their precious prize had escaped. This was not the case, however; the line had become entangled in one of the barrels and was thus kept afloat. In less than a minute a second boat, manned by the boatswain, rowed up and secured its end and attacked the whale.

The huge creature, finding that it had not yet shaken off it enemies, changed its tactics and took to swimming round and round in a circle nearly a mile wide, towing the boat behind it as if it were a cork. The canoes all huddled in the centre fearing every instant that the whale would rush into the midst of them, well knowing that if it did many of them would be killed. After a while the whale changed its course again and made out to sea. Its speed must have been nearly twenty miles an hour, for the crew had to sit well back, and a long wake of foam swept behind.