THE MEDUC^ AND THE WHALES. 279 



clapped us all in limbo, until assured of tlie truth of 

 the story we told. We heard whisperings as to our 

 physical ability. The boats' crews being picked men, 

 they said, were a very rugged-looking set of fellows; 

 and the fact of each man being provided with his 

 belt and sheath-knife seemed a recommendation to 

 their respect. Then, again, had there been any diffi- 

 culty, the penal population, who are largely in the 

 majoritj", would have readily joined the strangers, in 

 hopes of being delivered by them from their penal 

 servitude. 



Our first queries were, as to whether whales had 

 been seen in any numbers on the coast the present 

 season. They stated, that, from some unknown 

 cause, the whales' food was not so plenty as it is 

 during most years at this period. The meduca), 

 which exist in great quantities, or rather numbers, 

 generally by their volume gave to the water a yel- 

 lowish hue, but at present scarcely any indication 

 of their existence was perceptible ; therefore, although 

 the whales had appeared as usual, they made but a 

 short stay. The Port Gregory fishery had been for- 

 tunate enough, during their brief visit, to capture 

 five of them — making quite a profitable season's 

 business. They took their last whale some weeks 

 since — about the same time that we saw whales at 

 the Abrolhas' ; and I am persuaded that we were too 

 late for the season. 



On our informing them that there were no whales 

 at the Abrolhas' Islands, they professed much sur- 

 prise, and would scarcely give credence to our intel- 

 ligence ; stating that, for years, every vessel which 

 had passed these islands had borne testimony to the 



