Sensible of their danger, they used every effort to avoid the cause of it, by rowing in a contrary direction from that which the fish seemed to take, but the monster suddenly arose close to them, and nearly filled the boat with water.

By exerting themselves, they baled her out, and again steered from it.

For some time it was not seen, and they conceived themselves safe, when, rising immediately under the boat, it lifted her to the height of many yards on its back, whence slipping off, she dropped as from a precipice, and immediately filled and sunk.

The midshipman and one of the marines were sucked into the vortex which the whale had made, and disappeared at once.

The two other marines swam for the nearest shore, but one only reached it, to recount the fate of his companions.
August, 1790.