Page:Twenty Thousand Verne Frith 1876.pdf/42



CHAPTER V.

“AT A VENTURE.”

The voyage of the Abraham Lincoln was not marked by any particular incident for some time. Nevertheless, a circumstance occurred which brought out the wonderful skull of Ned Land, and showed what confidence might be reposed in him.

On the 30th June the frigate communicated with some American whalers, and we learnt that they had seen nothing of the narwhal. But the captain of one vessel, the Monroe, hearing that Ned Land was on board the Abraham Lincoln, asked for his assistance in chasing a whale then in sight. The commodore, wishing to see Ned Land at work, gave him leave to go on board the Monroe. Chance favoured the Canadian, who, instead of one whale, harpooned two, “right and left,” striking one to the heart, and taking possession of the other after a chase of some minutes. Certainly, if the monster should ever come into contact with Ned Land, it would be very bad for the monster.

The frigate ran along the south-east coast of America at a rapid rate. On the 3rd July we opened up the