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It has four harpoons; three or more lances; several small flags, called "whifts," to stick into the dead whale, by which it may be recognised at a distance when it may be necessary to chase another; and two or more "drogues," four-sided pieces of board to be attached to the end of the whale-line when it is hove overboard, and which, being dragged with its surface against the water, impedes the progress of the whale.
It was now Mistah Jones' turn to "bend on," which he did with many chuckles as of a man who was the last resource of the unfortunate. But his face grew longer and longer as the never-resting line continued to disappear. We had each bent on our drogues in the same way, when we passed our ends to one another.
The "drogues" and flag proved that belief on their part, and the ex-whalesman knew that it would be well worth their while to return in search of the whale. It was this very knowledge that had sustained his hopes, and delayed him so long by its carcass.
Again an oar went up, and the third boat bent on, adding more drogues to stop his way. They at length appeared to have effect. "There; haul in the slack," cried old Tom. "He's rising, lads; he's rising!" The boat-steerer was seen in the last boat busily coiling away the line in the tub as he hauled it in.
"You see, nigger," continued the sailor, "the presence o' them drogues indercates that the whale warn't dead when the boats left her." In coorse there must a' been a school o' the spermacetys; and the crew o' the whaler didn't want to lose time with this 'un, which they had wounded. For that reason they have struck her with this pair o' drogued harpoons; and stuck this whift into her back.
Impeded by the shattered boat he was dragging after him, and by several drogues fastened to the lines, he was soon overtaken, when another harpoon and several more lances were darted into his body. Still unconquered, away the animal again went, and up rose his tail: he was attempting to sound, but this his increasing weakness prevented him from doing.
Ben identified the latter as the "drogues," that form part of the equipment of a regular whale-ship. He knew them well, and their use. Before becoming a man-o'-war's-man, he had handled the harpoon; and was perfectly au fait to all connected with the calling of a whaler. "Yes," resumed he, on recognising the implements of his ci-devant profession, "it ha' been jest as I said.
There are several such harpoons, and two or three long lances; besides, a lantern, light-box, some small flags, and two or more "drogues," which are square bits of board to be fastened to the harpoon line, in order to hinder the whale when sinking or swimming away. It was some time before we fell in with a sperm whale.
To assist in stopping the whale's downward course, drogues were now bent on to the line as it ran out; but they appeared to have little more effect in impeding his progress than a log-ship has in stopping the way of a vessel; and yet they have, in reality, much more, as every pound-weight in addition tells on the back of a racer.
A whaler 'a been over this ground, and killed the spermacety. Maybe I'm wrong about that," he added, after reflecting a short while. "I may be wrong about the ship being over this very ground. I don't like the look o' them drogues." "De drogue?" inquired the Coromantee. "Dem block o' wood dat am driffin' about? Wha' for you no like dem, Massa Brace?"
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