"You might tell it by its thick, short spout.

See, that one on the port side, like a column of smoke, that's the spout of a right-whale! And all this is passing before our very noses---a dead loss! Why, it's like emptying money-bags into the sea not to fill one's barrels when one can.

A nice sort of captain, indeed, to let all this merchandise be lost, and do such wrong to his crew!" "Hearne," said an imperious voice, "go up to the maintop.

You will be more at your ease there to reckon the whales." "But, sir--" "No reply, or I'll keep you up there until to-morrow.

Come--be off at once." And as he would have got the worst of an attempt at resistance, the sealing-master obeyed in silence.
The season must have been abnormally advanced, for although we continued to see a vast number of testaceans, we did not catch sight of a single whaling-ship in all this fishing-ground.
I hasten to state that, although we were not to be tempted by whales, no other fishing was forbidden on board the _Halbrane_, and our daily bill of fare profited by the boatswain's trawling lines, to the extreme satisfaction of stomachs weary of salt meat.