When a week out from home a false alarm was raised of “There she blows! There she blows!” continued for some twenty or thirty times in succession, at intervals of about thirty seconds. The boatsteerer on the maintopgallant crosstrees, on being asked “Where away,” by the captain, answered, “Two points on the lee bow, about two miles off.” All hands were called, the lines put into the boats; they were then hoisted, swung and lowered, the crew following the boats down the sides of the ship, and leaping in the moment they touched the water; then shoving off and pulling in the direction of the fish. Soon the boatsteerer was ordered to stand up, then to give it to him, then to give him the other iron; and then we found that there had been no whales seen, but that the whole affair was arranged to familiarize us with boat duty, so that we might be acquainted with the rigmarole when occasion required. At first but little order or regulation was observed, each one pulling on his own hook; but after some little instruction we managed to make the boat go ahead without describing half a dozen circles before starting. As we became warm with the exercise, the old hands grew excited, and gave their short, quick orders of “Give it to him! Stern, stern all--hard! Stern, men, for your lives!” with as much enthusiasm as if a sperm whale was in reality spouting under the head of the boat. The day being fine all hands were delighted with the sport, particularly so our New Bedford boys; and after coming aboard and hoisting our boats to a merry song, no doubt more than one aspirant to the heading of a boat, went to his pillow to dream of future successes, and turn up whales in imagination by scores. Their ambition is pardonable, too, as, in the section of country in which they reside, a successful whaling skipper is looked upon as a much more important personage in the community than is a member of Congress; and I do not doubt that if the choice of the appellations Honorable and Captain were tendered to the youths of New Bedford and its vicinity, nine-tenths of them would prefer the latter; nor does he, in thus devoting himself to whaling as a profession, embrace an easy mode of gaining a livelihood. He must be no mere carpet knight, but must stand prepared to give and receive hard knocks; and combat, not only with the winds and waves (the task of ordinary sailors), but with the monarch of the seas--the great sperm whale; nor must he betray, no matter how perilous his position may hap to be during an encounter with leviathan, the slightest evidence of fear, as such a symptom would make him a butt for rude personal jokes, which would drive him, by their pointedness and sarcasm, out of the service; but he must view every position into which he is thrown, and every peril to which he may be subjected, with as much indifference as if it were of no importance to him, and he will acquire a reputation for fearlessness and coolness,