The New Year found us on the coast of New Holland in sight of Cape Leuwin. This portion of Australia presents rather an indifferent appearance, viewed from the ocean; it being barren, apparently, over a great part of its extent, and where vegetation does appear, it is low and scanty. Off this cape is a great resort for sperm whales, and at almost all seasons of the year American whalers are to be seen, standing off and on, patiently awaiting the appearance of the cachalot. At the time that we reached this ground, the ships were just resorting here from the coast of Africa and Island of Madagascar, we spoke and gammoned a number, varying from eight to thirty months from home, and having from one hundred to two thousand barrels of oil aboard. On the fifth, a gale of wind having but just abated, leaving a heavy swell on the surface of the ocean, we saw sperm whales. We lowered for them at 7¹⁄₂ o’clock A. M.; at 8 the starboard boat fastened to a large one, and a moment afterward we followed with the waist boat. The larboard boat, in trying to imitate us, was struck by the whale’s flukes and stove. She filled, and her crew were obliged to swim for their lives to the bow boat, in which they were conveyed to the ship. They had managed to get one iron into the whale before being stoven; but the boatsteerer, undaunted, when up to his waist in water, darted his second iron at the animated target, striking his mark, but not with sufficient force to fasten solid. Their line entwining around ours, prevented us hauling on to and despatching him; and whilst we were dallying, away he went to windward, towing us faster than a steamboat, the water breaking completely over us. Our boat was one-third full all the time, and it was only by unremitting bailing, by two of our number, that we kept her afloat. This continued for hours, until the ship was only seen as a speck in the horizon. The whales were darting here, there, and everywhere--ahead, astern, and under us--and the officer only prevented their getting afoul of us by repeated lancings; whilst our boats were tossed to and fro. The boatsteerer of the starboard boat was pitched out, but he caught the gunwale and soon recovered his position. Immediately after the line ran foul, our boat capsized and was taken down. I jumped, as soon as I found that she was going over, kicked off my shoes, and swam for the other boat, the line of which had been cut as soon as they discovered our mishap. On getting into the boat, I found that three others were all right, and directly our second mate made his appearance and was assisted in. He stated that the line had become twisted around his ankle, but, fortunately, he had the sheath-knife in his hand when he went down, and cut himself loose. The tub oarsman got in with his hand seriously cut, evidently by a lance which he must have come in contact with under water. As soon as we counted those in the boat, the amidship oarsman was found to be