THE WHITE WHALE. 



On the afternoon of August 14th, 1904, the writer 

 was crossing the Bay of Biscay on the Deutsch 

 Ost Afrika Hner " Kanzler " from Hamburg for Dar 

 es Salaam. The sea was absolutely devoid of ships ; 

 we seemed alone on the heaving surface of the 

 ocean, save for the tiny birds — stormy petrels — that 

 unceasingly glided like so many black swallows over 

 the creamy wave of the steamer. Suddenly there 

 appeared a number of black objects, swimming in 

 files two or three abreast as they glided through the 

 water. It was a school of porpoises, black above, 

 white below — marine magpies. Swimming with easy 

 undulations these fine beasts crossed the wake of 

 the "Kanzler" and were soon lost in the distance. 

 On the next day another school was seen. Now 

 both petrels and porpoises are equally supposed by 

 sailors to presage a storm : surely the appearance of 

 both together was an evil omen! Unfortunately 

 for this venerable superstition the sea remained 

 smooth as glass : no ill fortune followed, save that 

 by reason of a sea fog on the third day out from 

 England the " Kanzler " had to anchor in Trafalgar 

 Bay, the misty air resounding with the repeated 

 whisding of the "ships that pass in the night." 



