56 The Humpback Whale 



But spent with his tremendous downward rush, and 

 held down by the great weight of the rope he was 

 dragging against the water, his struggles became fainter 

 and feebler, until at last, with a sudden collapse of his 

 great heart, his struggles ceased, and turning over 

 he slowly sank, already the prey of innumerable eea- 

 scavengers, attracted to the spot by their infallible 

 instinct warning them of the presence of their par- 

 ticular form of food. So died this promising young 

 bull needlessly, since he could not by any possibility 

 have been caught in those deep waters, and should 

 never have been attacked. 



But perhaps it is wrong of me to give these two sad 

 misfortunes forward first, as if they were typical of the 

 daily life of the Humpback. Nothing could well be 

 more untrue than such a suggestion. There be few 

 creatures in earth, air, or sea, that lead a happier life, 

 or enjoy it with a greater zest than the Humpback. 

 In the pleasant waters where they roam, that is to say, 

 practically all round the world between 20° N. and 

 40° S., wherever there is sea to swim in there is almost 

 always abundant food. They are not so restricted either 

 in their dietary as their cousins, the right whales. Quite 

 sizeable fish, and cuttles of all kinds up to eight or ten 

 pounds in weight, form their staple support. They are 

 fond, too, of showing their joy in life, like the porpoise. 

 They indulge in titanic gambols which fill the spectator 

 with amazement, as he watches them roll and leap and 

 prance about the sea-surface as if they only weighed 

 as many ounces as they do tons. There are few more 

 interesting and pretty sights than to watch a family 

 of Humpbacks, bull, cows, and calves, all engaged in 

 their play, the great leader vying with his youngest 

 consort or her tiny calf in his efforts to show by his 

 sportiveness how very happy he is. 



