Whales as the Whalers Knew Them 199 



Young bulls, however, are animated by no 

 such feeling. The moment one of their number 

 is attacked they stick their heads into the air 

 and seek a far country with all the speed they 

 can command. It is a smart crew that gets 

 more than one out of a "pod" of bulls. 



That whales learn by experience, and very 

 rapidly at times, is well known to all whalers. 

 The bowheads have long since learned that a 

 ship is dangerous company, and they always 

 feed near the ice. 



" Persecution has made them shy and instead 

 of roaming at large the whales only feed along 

 the ice fringe where they can bolt to cover beneath 

 the ice if attacked," says Captain Gray. "Now- 

 adays whales are like rats or rabbits, never to 

 be found far from their holes, particularly since 

 the introduction of steam; they will never lie 

 on banks where there is not sufficient ice to 

 shelter them." 



An incident of interest in any study of the 

 mental characteristics of whales is an account 

 of a chase of a couple of humpbacks as given in 

 Bullen's book: 



