"Back Water!
Back Water, For Your Lives!" Shouted The Captain; And We Backed
Our Blades In The Water And Brought The Boat To In A Smother Of
Foam.
Turning our heads, we saw a great, rough, hump-backed whale,
slowly crossing our fore foot, within three or four yards of the
boat's stem.
Had we not backed water just as we did, we should
inevitably have gone smash upon him, striking him with our stem
just about amidships. He took no notice of us, but passed slowly on,
and dived a few yards beyond us, throwing his tail high in the air.
He was so near that we had a perfect view of him and as may be
supposed, had no desire to see him nearer. He was a disgusting
creature; with a skin rough, hairy, and of an iron-grey color.
This kind differs much from the sperm, in color and skin, and is said
to be fiercer. We saw a few sperm whales; but most of the whales
that come upon the coast are fin-backs, hump-backs, and right-whales,
which are more difficult to take, and are said not to give oil
enough to pay for the trouble. For this reason whale-ships do not
come upon the coast after them. Our captain, together with Captain
Nye of the Loriotte, who had been in a whale-ship, thought of
making an attempt upon one of them with two boats' crews, but
as we had only two harpoons and no proper lines, they gave it up.
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