It may be well, here, to explain to the uninitiated reader, that the harpoon is a barbed spear, with a small, but stout cord, or whale line fastened to it.  The boat approaches the fish bow foremost, but is made sharp at both ends that it may “back off,” if necessary; the whale being often dangerous to approach, and ordinarily starting, when struck, in a way to render his immediate neighbourhood somewhat ticklish.  The fish usually goes down when harpooned, and the line must be permitted to “run-out,” or he would drag the boat after him.  But a whale must breathe as well as a man, and the faster he runs the sooner he must come up for a fresh stock of air.  Now, the proper use of the harpoon and the line is merely to fasten to the fish; though it does sometimes happen that the creature is killed by the former.  As soon as the whale re-appears on the surface, and becomes stationary, or even moderates his speed a little, the men begin to haul in line, gradually closing with their intended victim.  It often happens that the whale starts afresh, when line must be permitted to run out anew; this process of “hauling in” and “letting run” being often renewed several times at the taking of a single fish.  When the boat can be hauled near enough, the officer at its head darts his lance into the whale, aiming at a vital part.  If the creature “spouts blood,” it is well; but if not hit in the vitals, away it goes, and the whole business of “letting run,” “towing,” and “hauling in” has to be gone over again.

On the present occasion, Walker’s harpooner, or boat-steerer, as he is called, had made a good “heave,” and was well fast to his fish.  The animal made a great circuit, running completely round the Mermaid, at a distance which enabled those on board her to see all that was passing.  When nearest to the brig, and the water was curling off the bow of the boat in combs two feet higher than her gunwale, under the impulse given by the frantic career of the whale, Bridget pressed closer to her husband’s side, and, for the first time in her life, mentally thanked Heaven that he was the governor, since that was an office which did not require him to go forth and kill whales.  At that very moment, Mark was burning with the desire to have a hand in the sport, though he certainly had some doubts whether such an occupation would suitably accord with the dignity of his office.

Walker got alongside of his whale, within half a mile of the two brigs, and to-leeward of both.  In consequence of this favourable circumstance, the Henlopen soon had its prize hooked on, and her people at work stripping off the blubber.  This is done by hooking the lower block of a powerful purchase in a portion of the substance, and then cutting a strip of convenient size, and heaving on the fall at the windlass.  The strip is cut by implements called spades, and the blubber is torn from the carcass by the strain, after the sides of the “blanket-piece,” as the strip is termed, are separated from the other