On the 3d we saw a
number of vessels, including one steamer, all, except one large
merchantman, bound eastward.
A little humpback whale that came playing around our ship, as if trying
to get a harpoon in him, prevented our heading off the steamer and
getting some late papers. But as soon as a boat was lowered into the
water the fishy representative of King Richard thought it began to look
too much like business at this time, and hastened off to look for his
mother. We saw quite a large school of humpbacks during the same
afternoon, but there was too much wind, with the near prospect of a
gale, to render it worth while to hunt them. We had some pretty heavy
blows on our way home, and on the last day of August we were struck by
a squall that gave us a very good idea of what a gale would be like
should it have continued for a day or two; but within twenty minutes of
the time it struck us it had passed off, the sun was shining brightly,
and we were making sail again, with nothing to indicate what had just
taken place save a few barrels of immense hailstones that still covered
the deck like so much coarse salt and a chilliness in the atmosphere
that made you shiver in spite of yourself. It was fearful, though,
while it lasted; the lightning and thunder crashes were almost
synchronous, indicating a most unpleasant proximity.
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