ARCHY WISHING TO BE PRESENT WHEN A WHALE IS STRUCK, AGAINST ORDERS GOES
OFF IN ONE OF THE BOATS.--ATTACK A WHALE AND HER CALF, BUT LOSE BOTH,
AND THE BOAT'S BOWS ARE STOVE AGAINST A FLOE.--THE CREW ESCAPE BY
LANDING ON IT, AND DRAGGING THE BOAT AFTER THEM. PREPARATIONS MADE TO
WAIT FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE SHIP IN SEARCH OF THEM.
The ship had for some time been off the western shore of the bay, and
several whales had been taken--every one was actively engaged, for when
the operation of flensing was not going on, the boats were generally
away in chase of their prey.
Archy had hitherto always remained on board. He had long wished,
however, to be present at one of the exciting scenes he had only
witnessed from a distance. How to manage it was the difficulty. He
knew that it would be of no use asking leave from the captain, or any of
the boat-steerers, for idlers were not allowed in the boats. He had
thought that he should at once engage in all the adventures described by
Max, and was one day expressing his disappointment in his presence.
"They will come time enough," observed Max. "But if you have a fancy to
see some sport, and may be to get tossed in the air, or drowned, or have
to spend a night on a floe, and be well nigh frozen, as I have more than
once, I'll give you a chance. You know that I am your friend, or I
would not do it. Now, the next time a fall is called, do you tumble
into my boat; I'll rail away if old Andrew sees you, but pretend you
have hurt your leg and lie still, and depend upon it he will be in too
great a hurry to shove off to put you on board again, and as the captain
did not punish you for hiding away, he will not say much to you on that
account."
Archy knew very well that he ought to have suspected Max's advice, but
he was so eager to see a whale struck, that he forgot all other
considerations. Hoping therefore that he might soon have the
opportunity he desired, he turned into his bunk with his clothes on,
ready to slip into the boat at a moment's notice. The ship was standing
some distance off the land, and though the sea was generally open, here
and there masses of ice were to be seen floating about from enormous
icebergs down to small pieces of a few feet in diameter. Archy hoped
that before long the boats would be lowered to go in chase of a whale.
He tried to keep awake, but sleep soon overpowered him. He was aroused
by hearing the sound of stamping overhead, and the looked for cry of "a
fall, a fall." He sprang on deck, and without waiting to see whether he
was observed, slipped into old Andrew's boat, in which Max pulled one of
the oars, and throwing himself down in the bottom, remained perfectly
still. The rest of the crew followed. Old Andrew was the last, having
been detained longer than usual. The boat shoved off, and only then Max
pretended to have discovered him. Andrew, on seeing the lad, was about
to put back, but at that moment the spout of another whale was observed
at no great distance. The crew, bending to their oars, pulled towards
it; and Andrew, in the excitement of the moment, forgot all about Archy.
The boat dashed on. A sucking whale was seen playing near the old one.
"We shall have her boys, we shall have her," shouted Andrew.
The whale discerned the approach of her foes, and diving down with her
calf, disappeared.
"Give way lads, give way," cried Andrew, "she will not desert the young
one."
He was right, though had the old whale been alone, she would soon have
been miles away. The boat continued in the direction the whale had been
seen to take, and in a short time the small animal again came to the
surface to breathe. The boat was soon up to the animal, when its
faithful mother rose also to afford it protection. The boat dashed up
to it, and Andrew, going forward, plunged his unerring harpoon deep into
its side. No sooner did the monster feel the wound than away she
darted, towing the boat, the young whale keeping up with her. The crew
pulled with might and main, hoping to get up alongside again in order to
fix another harpoon, and to pierce her with their lances. They had
nearly succeeded, when up went her tail in the air, and down she dived
into the depths of ocean, her calf following her example. Immediately
the whale line was allowed to run out; and, as the end was approached,
another was fastened on. That too had nearly been drawn out, when the
crew, lifting up their oars, made a signal for assistance from their
companions, but they were already too far off to be seen, indeed the
other boats were engaged with the whale first attacked.
"Hold on," shouted Andrew. "Though she might not come up by herself,
the young one will, and she will follow."
He was right; for at the moment that the bow of the boat seemed about to
be drawn under water, and the knife was lifted to cut the line, it
slackened, and the young whale came to the surface some way ahead,
followed immediately afterwards by its mother. Remaining stationary a
short time to breathe, during which a portion of the line was hauled in,
the monster again began to make her way along the surface.
"Rare fun!" exclaimed Archy, who was sitting near Max. "I would not
have missed this on any account."
"We shall not be merry long if that bank of clouds to the north brings a
gale with it," growled out Max.
Archy looked around; the sea, hitherto calm, was already ruffled with
waves, and an icy breeze swept over the surface. Still no whaler, with
a fish fast, would have thought of giving up the pursuit. Already the
monster, wearied by its exertions, was slackening its speed; the crew
began to haul in the line, the first was got in. They were already in
the hopes of again wounding the animal mortally before she could once
more sound, when inspired with a mother's instinct to do her utmost for
the preservation of her young one, she again darted forward. A large
floe appeared ahead, out of which arose several hummocks. The whale
made rapid way towards it. The crew pulled with might and main, still
hoping to reach her before she could dive below the ice. In vain were
all their efforts. Still she went on. She reached the edge of the
floe. It was possible she might turn or make her way along it, rather
than venture with her young one below its surface, where they might be
unable to find an opening for breathing. Again she stopped; as Andrew
had expected. The crew continued to haul in the line, when once more
she moved on, and it was necessary to secure it round the bollard.
"She is ours," cried Andrew; "she will not venture under the ice." The
crew bent to their oars, hoping in another instant to be up with her,
when, with a sudden start, she dashed forward. With great presence of
mind Andrew cut the line, just in time to prevent the boat from being
dragged under the floe, but not sufficiently soon to save her bows from
being stove. The water came rushing in through the fearful rent that
had been made. The crew leaped out on the ice, old Andrew seizing
Archy, who, bewildered at the occurrence, had sat still. Already the
boat was half full of water, and not without great difficulty she was
hauled up on the ice, against which the sea was beating violently, and
several articles were washed out of her. Archy had instinctively
clutched a bucket by his side, to which he held when he was dragged out.
It contained a tinder-box and powder flask.
There the whole party stood on the exposed floe by the side of their
shattered boat. They looked around. Neither the ship nor the boats
were to be seen, while the thick mist, which came driving over the
ocean, concealed even some of the nearest icebergs from view. Two or
three of the men loudly expressed their anxiety. Max's countenance
exhibited the alarm he felt. Old Andrew alone preserved his usual
equanimity.
"My lads," he said, "I'll allow we are in bad case, but don't let us
give way to despair. We must do our best to repair the boat; and if the
ship does not come to look for us, we must set out to look for her."
The injuries, however, that the boat had received were very severe, and
it was evident that no means they had at their disposal were sufficient
to repair her. Even a piece of canvas would have been of value, but
they had no canvas and no nails. The sea, too, which had rapidly got
up, now dashed furiously against the sides of the floe, threatening to
sweep over it, and break it to pieces beneath their feet. Andrew looked
around, and observing a large hummock at some distance, urged his
companions to drag the boat towards it.
"Yonder ice hill will afford us some shelter," he said. "And if we make
a signal from the top, it will be more readily seen than one down on the
level."
The men exerting all their strength dragged the boat along, Archy
helping, till they reached the hummock, she was then turned bottom
uppermost under its lee. An axe having been saved, one of the oars was
cut into lengths, which served to prop her up and afford them some
shelter from the freezing wind. Two oars were also lashed together to
serve as a flagstaff, and all the handkerchiefs that could be mustered
were joined to form a flag. A hole, after much labour, was dug with the
axe in the top of the hummock, and the flagstaff was planted, but the
furious wind threatened every moment to blow it down again. The gale
was increasing, and already they felt almost perished, but their great
want was food. They had come away without breakfast, and no provisions
had been put in the boat. Even should they be able to resist the gale,
and should the floe continue together, they ran a fearful risk of
perishing of hunger. The snow falling heavily formed a bank round the
boat, and assisted to keep out the wind,--here they all collected,
crouching down as close together as possible, for the sake of obtaining
warmth from each other.
"If we had but a fire we might do pretty well till the ship comes to
take us off," observed Max. "We have got some wood, at all events, and
when that's gone we must burn the boat and form a roof of snow over our
heads instead, after Esquimaux fashion."
No sooner was the proposal made than the remaining oars,
boat-stretchers, and every piece of wood that could be found was cut up.
Archy produced the tinder-box from the bucket, and in a short time a
fire was blazing up, which served to warm their chilled limbs, and
slightly to raise their spirits. Few of them, however, were disposed to
talk much.