some one else to do what they ought to do for themselves. Just
try now. Let's try a stave at all events. Come, I'll strike up."

Old Tom's proposal pleased all hands, and soon a melody, if not very
sweet, at least harmonious, floated over the blue sea.

Whether the whales came to listen to our music, I cannot say; but while
we were all joining in chorus, the ever-exciting shout of "There she
spouts--there she spouts!" broke in upon it; and, springing to our feet,
the boats were lowered and manned, and in less than three minutes four
of them were gliding away as fast as they could be sent through the
water, after two whales which made their appearance together, not far
apart from each other.

The captain's boat got hold of the first without much difficulty; but as
he was a strong old bull, he played all sorts of antics, and other two
boats were called to assist in his capture. Meantime the third mate's
boat, in which I was, went after the other whale, which sounded just as
we got up to him. For some reason or other, he very soon appeared again
a mile ahead, and away we went in chase. Again he played us the same
trick, but this time he was longer under water, and must have gone
upwards of two miles away before he once more came up. The more sport
he seemed disposed to give us, the less inclined were we to lose him, so
after him we went as fast as before--not faster, for that would have
been difficult. As we got near, we saw that he was lying very quiet,
and we did not think he saw us, so we had out our paddles, and began
stealing up to him as cautiously as a cat does to a mouse--only in this
case it was rather more like the mouse creeping up to the cat. The
third mate was a well-built, powerful young man. Holding up his hand as
a sign to us to be cautious, he stepped forward, and there he stood,
harpoon in hand, as we glided on towards the monster. Down came the
heavy harpoon, and it was buried, socket up, in the side of the monster!
In an instant the acute pain woke him up. "Stern all!" was now the
cry, and we had to back away from him in a great hurry, as, raising his
mighty flukes, he went head down, sounding till he almost took away the
whole of our line. Fortunately he met with the bottom, perhaps a
coral-reef, and up he came, striking away head out at a great speed in
the direction he had before taken. So intent were we on the chase, that
we had little time to observe what was doing with the other wha