From the commencement of the voyage to its close men are stationed at each masthead, on the look-out for whales, and are relieved every two hours. When a whale is seen by any one of the men aloft, he immediately sings out in a peculiar voice, “There she blows!” and repeats it as often as the whale spouts. The officer of the deck immediately cries out, “Where away?” and the look-out replies, giving the direction of the whale from the ship. The officer again asks, “How far off?” The distance is given, and, in a shorter space of time than is occupied in relating it, the captain is at masthead with his spy-glass. As soon as he ascertains the fact that they are sperm whales, he sings out, “Call all hands; get the boats ready, and stand by to lower;” at the same time giving directions to the man at the wheel to keep the ship in the proper direction. It is impossible to describe the excitement that now prevails. All are anxious to obtain a glimpse, many for the first time, of the monster. The lethargy produced by the hitherto monotonous voyage is now shaken off, and one and all partake of the excitement. All is bustle and animation; some are at masthead, some are in the rigging, and others flying around, getting the boats in perfect order, and ready to be lowered at a moment’s notice. If the whale is to the leeward of the ship, she is kept in that direction; if to windward, the boats are sent in chase, which often proves to be an arduous task. In this instance the whale was to the leeward. When we were within proper distance, the captain coming down, called out, “Haul aback the mainyards; lower away the boats,” and the respective crews follow them down. In a moment more they are pulling for the whale. From hour to hour, and often from sunrise to sunset, do these hardy men toil at the oar, enduring suffering and fatigue, almost unnoticed under the eager excitement of the chase, to be the head boat, or the “first boat fast;” and this under a scorching tropical sun. The waist boat draws near the whale, and all is excitement; the officer crying out, “Pull, men, _do_ pull; now, my hearties, give way; oh! men, _do_ pull; I’ll give you any thing I’ve got, only put me alongside that whale; there he blows; only three seas off,” etc. The boat is close to him; it draws nearer and nearer; the officer orders the boat-steerer to “stand up;” he rises in his place and lifts the fatal weapon; and, when the boat is close enough, the order is given, “Give it to him; give it to him, I tell you!” The boat-steerer darts and misses him, and the whale is “gallied,” or frightened, and takes French leave. Thus ended our first chase after a whale, as did many more during the voyage, and, after having pulled nearly all day, they returned to the ship, all hands disappointed, but the captain cheering us with “better luck next time.” Having thus disposed of our “first whale,” we kept on our course, steering southeast, for the Cape Verd Islands.