52 The Humpback Whale 



But her chief visible peculiarity differentiating her from 

 sperm and right whales, was the length of her arms. 

 Unlike the almost rudimentary pectoral appendages of 

 the cachalot and Mysticetus, her arms were nearly one- 

 third of her length, justifying the Greek title bestowed 

 upon her kind of 'great wings' {megaptera). A close 

 observer, had any such been at hand, would have noted 

 that, as she swam straight for the reefs, she kept one of 

 these long arms tightly pressed to her side, as if holding 

 something of value. Stay, there were close observers, 

 hungry denizens of the deep sea following her and 

 watching with ravenous eyes. They knew the nature 

 and value of her treasure, and, given but the slightest 

 opportunity, would have despoiled her of it. But she 

 well knew both of their unwelcome presence and their 

 sinister designs, and sought a haven of safety where 

 they dared not come. 



Close to her side she hugged her newly born son, a 

 slender dolphin-like creature about nine feet in length, 

 full of vigour and impatience of restraint, who struggled 

 fiercely to get free. Since his birth she had not known 

 a peaceful moment, for the Creator had endowed her 

 with so large a proportion of maternal love that the 

 mere feeling of ought happening to her offspring was 

 agony almost unbearable to her, while at the same 

 time instinct warned her that the surrounding sea 

 simply swarmed with hidden enemies, ready at any 

 moment to deprive her of the joy of her life could they 

 but find her momentarily unwatchful. Therefore had 

 she forgotten her lord and leader, her fellow mothers, 

 herself, all her being was centred upon the young one 

 by her side and how to protect it from death. 



Closely escorted by at least half-a-dozen immense 

 sharks, she reached the Barrier Reef, sounded, and 

 swam along its base until she came to an opening wide 



