should
we manage for a moment to get behind him. First, we pulled on one side
as he came towards us, and then on the other; but rapidly as we turned,
he slewed himself round, and at last, getting us under his snout, he
made a dash at the boat, and sent her spinning away twenty yards before
him, bottom uppermost, while we all lay scattered round about her,
shouting and calling to each other for help. Had he at once gone off,
and dragged the boat after him, he would have left us to perish
miserably, and this was the fate we dreaded; but instead of that, while
we lay holding onto oars, or striking out to regain the boat, he swam
round us, examining the mischief he had done. More than once I thought
he was going to make another charge at us with his open mouth, when, had
he done so, he would have killed one or more, though he might not have
swallowed any of us. That I never heard of a whale doing.

We, meantime, made all haste back to the boat, picking up whatever we
could lay hands on in our way. We were not a little hurried in our
movements by seeing two or more sharks, which had been attracted to the
spot by the blood flowing from the monster; and they would just as soon
have taken a meal off us as a nibble at him, which is all they would
have got for some time, probably.

"Never fear, my lads!" shouted Mr Trevett, the mate. "Strike out with
your feet, and heave over the boat. Quick now!--so!--over she comes!
We'll soon have her baled out."

Baling with hats and caps, as we hung round the gunwale, and striking
out with a will, to keep the sharks at a distance, we were enabled to
clear the boat sufficiently of water to allow us to get in, just as a
big shark, impatient of delay, made a dart at the mate's leg--for he was
the last in--and very nearly caught his foot. We quickly had the boat
to rights, but we found that we had lost two very valuable articles--our
tinder-box and compass; so that we could neither make a signal to the
ship nor tell in what direction to steer should thick or cloudy weather
come on. We had, however, no time to meditate on our misfortune, for
scarcely were we once more seated on the thwarts, oars in hand, than the
whale, as if waiting the signal, started off again, head out, just as he
had done before. His speed, however, was very much slackened; and
though, after we had hauled in the line a little, he made an attempt to
sound, he quickly returned to the surface, still more exhausted