i68 MARVELS OF FISH LIFE 



whale ? But our inability to sleep was merely due 

 to the novelty of our surroundings, for our kind- 

 hearted host slept soundly on the sofa, snored like a 

 fog-horn, and woke thoroughly refreshed for his meal. 

 We started on excellent coffee, and then followed a 

 royal repast which was most welcome after our long 

 walk — soup with some body in it, followed by suet, 

 mutton, sago pudding, cheese, and finishing up with 

 cake, rye whisky, and strong cigars. Fortified in this 

 manner, we ventured to inspect the station. 



Five large whales were lying in the bay, and in 

 consequence of the heat suggested inflated balloons. 

 All around thousands of gulls were screeching and skirl- 

 ing, as they fought over the offal. . Without these scav- 

 engers it is difficult to imagine what a whaling station 

 would be like ! We saw the cranes by which the whales 

 were hoisted out of the water on to a large wooden 

 platform. Here they were cut up. The flesh was then 

 boiled down in huge cauldrons, ultimately to be con- 

 verted into cake-food for cattle, and the bones were 

 used for artificial manure. 



On this station there were two whaling boats — 

 steamers some ninety feet in length. In the bows of 

 each boat was a swivel gun from which could be shot a 

 harpoon. The whales were met with from fifty to one 

 hundred miles outside the island of St. Kilda. Each of 

 the boats was away about a week, at the end of which 

 time it returned to the station, towing a string of 

 five or six whales. It was a very interesting after- 



