534 MODERN SEA FISHING 



There was not long to wait before the line started, and the 

 fish still running at a considerable pace, the line flew out in 

 great coils, the utmost activity being required to prevent the 

 stove or some other useful article of furniture from being 

 caught and carried out through the skylight. 



The fish did not run much over two lines, and when she 

 slacked a bit I got into some clothes, and, leaving one hand to 

 watch the line, moved on deck, where I found Mr. Crowther 

 (who is now away in the Windward with the Jackson- Harms- 

 worth expedition to Franz Joseph's Land as ice-master) holding 

 the line with one hand and putting on his trousers with the other. 



It appeared that Valentine, the second harpooneer, had got 

 out to the end of the bowsprit and cleverly dropped the 

 harpoon into the fish as she passed under him. Jimmy 

 Macmillan, one of the boat-steerers, had run the line with two 

 turns at first, but finding it was likely to take fire, he had to 

 take one turn off and as the line was going a great pace, he 

 kept looking aft to see whether it would fetch anything out of 

 the cabin. 



The ship was all aback, so, having lowered down the sails, 

 we hoisted out a boat, and, putting a line and a hand harpoon 

 in her, soon got up to the fish. A second harpoon was put 

 into her when hanging her up to the bows of the boat ; I then 

 despatched her with a lance, but very nearly got a ducking, as 

 I somehow held the lance awkwardly, and was swung clean out 

 of the boat by the struggles of the fish ; however, maintaining 

 the grasp of the lance, and allowing myself to swing like a 

 pendulum, the return swing brought me safely back into the boat. 



The cook had the greatest difficulty in rousing the watch 

 below when a fall was called ; he could not make them believe 

 a fish was fastened, we were so many miles from the fishing 

 grounds. It is doubtful if a fish has ever been killed so near 

 our shores. 



