IN THE HIGHLANDS 101 



and the first line has divided in the middle, passed 

 farther out in two columns, to reform their line again 

 beyond the second . This game went on for rather longer 

 than the fishers desired, for the demands upon wind and 

 limb were severe, and they had started early, without 

 food or liquor, their only breakfast being deferred hope, 

 which does not take long to digest. 



*' However, about noon the whales seemed to have 

 had enough of men and boats, and their leader, dis- 

 tinguished by the name of Delphinus dednxior — or caaing, 

 that is, * driving whale ' — steered up the harbour and 

 was soon nearly opposite the town. All was most quiet 

 and silent there, lest any noise on shore might frighten 

 the whales out to sea again. The harbour grows so much 

 narrower near the town that the boats came gradually 

 closer together, and showers of stones were thrown 

 at every whale who showed above water. I fetched my 

 double rifle and its ammunition from the hotel, and 

 became so excited that when the leading whale raised his 

 head high enough to show his eye, I fired without asking 

 anyone's leave, feeling certain I could extinguish it. A 

 universal groan and some unmistakable bad language 

 from land and sea rather shocked me for a moment ; but 

 I am certain the shot was a wise one, for the leader, 

 instead of turning away to sea as my groaners were sure 

 he would do, quietly continued his course up the harbour 

 till he grounded. It was high water or nearly so, and 

 ninety-five others of his large followers ran ashore also 

 or hung about him like a swarm of bees round their queen, 

 though there was nothing to prevent all of them going 

 back to sea if they had resolved to do so. 



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