366 NIMROD OF THE SEA; OR, 



very much more than in any other Spanish port, we hove 

 up our anchor, and bore away for right -whale feeding- 

 grounds, among the islands which skirt the western coast of 

 Patagonia. 



It must be admitted that we approached this new experi- 

 ence with some trepidation, as officers and men were totally 

 inexperienced in this fishery. The boys encouraged them- 

 selves, however, with the general theory that the right 

 whale, as compared with the spermaceti, is a clumsy, simple- 

 witted, and altogether harmless creature. An amusing in- 

 cident of my boyhood led me to distrust the theory, and 

 stamped an my youthful mind a profound reverence for sim- 

 ple facts. It happened somewhat in this wise : When quite 

 a little fellow, with unbounded confidence in the hunting 

 qualities of a wheezy old terrier, who accompanied me, I 

 made many venturesome expeditions in the neighboring 

 woods and hills. On one occasion Carlo came to a very de- 

 cided stand in front of a hole in the rocks which my hat 

 would have covered. His cautious movement and nervous 

 backward starts indicated the formidable nature of the ani- 

 mal we had holed, and my sharp eyes detected long and 

 black hairs adhering to the rock. I got a forked stick, and 

 twisting it about the bottom of the cave, I brought away 

 some more long and coarse black hair. All the circumstances 

 flashed the thought of " bear " through my young head. 

 The wildness of the secluded spot rendered bear possible; 

 the sharp bark of Carlo, who, hair on end, was* dancing 

 around, announced bear as probable ; and the wish being 

 father to the thought, made bear positive. A suspicious 

 odor from the end of the stick suggested skunk. The size 

 of the hole was certainly against bear. But a young bear 

 and a small hole could be reconciled, and moreover, I had nev- 

 er smelled bear. So reasoning, I thrust in the well-sharpened 

 fork, and twisted vigorously against a soft yielding mass, 



