Finding that it was not wise to take the ship in any closer, while we were yet some distance from our prize, a boat was sent to Mr. Cruce with the instructions that he was to run his line from the whale back to the ship, if the creature was dead.  He (the mate) replied that the whale died as quietly as he had taken his wounds, and immediately started for the ship.  When he had paid out all his line, another boat bent on, until we got the end on board.  Then we merrily walked him up alongside, while sufficient sail was kept drawing to prevent her being set in any nearer.  When he was fast, we crowded on all canvas to get away; for although the sea was deep close up to the cliff, that swell was a very ugly feature, and one which has been responsible for the loss of a great number of ships in such places all over the world.  Notwithstanding all our efforts, we did get so near that every detail of the rock was clearly visible to the naked eye, and we had some anxious minutes while the old ship, rolling tremendously, crawled inch after inch along the awful side of that sea-encircled pyramid.

At one point there was quite a cave, the floor of which would be some twenty feet above high-water mark, and its roof about the same distance higher.  It appeared to penetrate some distance into the bowels of the mountain, and was wide and roomy.  Sea-birds in great numbers hovered around its entrance, finding it, no doubt, an ideal nesting-place.  It appeared quite inaccessible, for even with a perfect calm the swell dashed against the perpendicular face of the cliff beneath with a force that would have instantly destroyed any vessel unfortunate enough to get within its influence.

Slowly, slowly we forged past the danger; but the moment we opened out the extremity of the island, a fresh breeze, like a saving hand, swept across the bows, filling the head-sails and swinging the old vessel away from the island in grand style.  Another minute, and the other sails filled also.  We were safe, all hands breathing freely once more.

Now the wind hung far round to the eastward—­far enough to frustrate any design we might have had of going up the Straits again.  The old man, however, was too deeply impressed with the paramount necessity of shelter to lightly give up the idea of getting in somewhere; so he pointed her for Preservation Inlet, which was only some thirty miles under her lee.  We crowded all sail upon her in the endeavour to get in before nightfall, this unusual proceeding bringing our two friends up from to leeward with a run to see what we were after.  Burdened as we were, they sailed nearly two knots to our one, and consequently intercepted us some while before we neared our port.  Great was their surprise to find we had a whale, and very anxious their queries as to where the rest of the school had gone.  Reassured that they had lost nothing by not being nearer, it being a “lone” whale, off they went again.