222 WHALING AND FISHING. 



and tne coat would only have to cut loose, with 

 the loss of a harpoon and a portion of the line. 



Many whalemen will not lower for sulphur-bet* 

 toms, considering t lem too troublesome. Oui 

 captain was of this opinion, and the monster fieh 

 used, therefore, to pass the vessel with perfect 

 impunity. Their spout resembles a sperm whale's, 

 but they differ in shape, having no hump, and 

 being much longer. 



" Does any one ever try finbacks or how is it 

 known that they run ? " I asked, one evening as 

 we stood by the try -fires, discussing the merits of 

 sulphur-bottoms, and other running whales. 



" Yes," said the second mate, " most people have 

 a desire to satisfy themselves upon the question, 

 and generally do so before they *can rest easy 

 while a fat finback is sailing lazily past them. 

 Last voyage we were cruising in the Sooloo sea, 

 where the skipper now talks of going, when one 

 beautiful afternoon, as we were gently gliding 

 over a sea almost as smooth as glass, a good sized 

 finback hove his ridge out of water just ahead of 

 the boat. We had lowered for a school of sperm 

 whales, gallied them by some accident, and were 

 now returning aboard empty-handed, to get a 

 jawing from the skipper. As 1 sat in the bow, 

 whither I had gone to get under shelter of the sail. 

 which flapped lazily against the mast, the thought 

 gtiuck me to fasten to this fish, and prove for my- 

 self what the consequences of such an act would be 



