82 



A SHOOTING TRIP TO KAMCHATKA 



fitted out several ships, one of which had been en- 

 trusted to the first mate of the Baikal. But such were 

 the hardships and dangers encountered from frequent 

 storms during- the winter months, that my informant 

 had given up the tasls: for a more comfortable berth. 



A WHALER. 



Nevertheless, he said, whaling was a fine sport, and 

 many a whale had been harpooned by him and towed 

 alongside his ship. The harpoon which he used was 

 fired from a gun, with a dynamite shell attached to it, 

 which exploded in the whale's body. Sperm whales 

 were very uncommon, most of those met with being 

 of a smaller kind. 



