330 Reminiscences of 



but they did not escape the notice of the killers, who 

 ranged themselves alongside and ahead of the leading 

 boat, keeping well outside the oars, leaping, rolling 

 and breaching in wild joy with the prospects of a 

 bloody fray. As they approached the whales a slower 

 oar was pulled, and in a moment the killers disap- 

 peared. They had heard or seen the spouting and 

 splashing ahead, and before the boats could arrive were 

 among the whales. 



Humpbacks, sure enough, and now a mighty 

 scene of uplifting of huge bodies and lashing of the waters 

 occurs, an area of white swirling foam, amid which 

 the frantic whales sound for escape, but not before 

 a dozen ferocious killers have selected their victim, 

 which they are to do more than half the work in 

 capturing. Skilfully avoiding the flukes, they fasten 

 on with their bulldog grips, tearing away as they 

 can huge strips of skin and blubber, especially fast- 

 ening on about the head. Their victim, distracted 

 and torn, vainly attempts to sound with his com- 

 rades, for now they are gone, and if he can possibly 

 follow, he cannot rid himself of the devilish fiends 

 who beset him with undiminished savagery. Per- 

 haps half a hundred fathoms he may sound, but never 

 a moment can he be free from his desperate clinging 

 destroyers. Bleeding and frantic, and more winded 

 than his wont when below, he must return to the 

 surface again, where the boats manned with human 

 foes are calmly awaiting his appearance. 



There is no escape for him in the depths of the sea, 

 nor where the sunlight in fulness gleams. He may 

 rise near the boats or some distance away, but he 

 cannot get below again, for his enemies are too power- 



