The Sperm Whale and its Food 271 



on the surface of the water around. The "Princesse Alice" 

 was lyin^ at about one hundred metres from the animal wlu-n 

 it turned slowly round, lashed out with its tail, and then came 

 straight for the yacht at a speed of ten or twelve knots. As 

 there are many records of whaling ships having been sunk by 

 the cachalot under similar circumstances, it will not be wondered 

 at if I confess to having experienced some anxiety during the 

 approach of the whale, and when powerless to avoid it. Just, 

 however, at the moment when I expected the shock, the whale 

 sounded, passed under the keel without touching it, and re- 

 appeared on the other side in the agony of death. The rescue 

 of the yacht from certain damage, if not from destruction, 

 wnuM have been impossible had the life of the whale been 

 spared for a little longer. The cachalot was now floating 

 alongside, with its head at a distance of about fifteen metres 

 from the rudder, when its jaws opened and allowed several 

 objects to escape, which I quickly recognised as cephalopods; 

 lut. notwithstanding the speed with which a boat was got 

 away, in order to secure these animals, of the inestimable 

 value of which I had already a presentiment, I perceived that 

 they had begun to sink. On the spur of the moment, I started 

 th- engines very slow astern, and the coveted remains cir- 

 culated slowly in the vortices produced by the propeller until 

 they were secured by the boat. 



The vessel now floated in a sea of blood of some acres in 

 it, and the whalers fixed one of our hawsers to the head 

 of the dead animal ; for they had gladly accepted my offer to 

 tow it to El Negrito, where they have their installation for 

 harvesting the oil from the whales that they are lucky enough 

 to catch. The towing operation was not an easy one. The 

 tail, acting as a rudder, caused tin- animal to swerve so violently 

 from one side to another, that it was necessary to desist frni 

 the attempt to tow it head foremost, and to shift the tow-rope 

 t.> tli.- tail, after which the operation was complete. 1 without 

 difficulty. The (reek, which was the final destination of the 

 \vhal lot a suitable place for the \ ; so, 



after landing the zoologists, MM. Uier, and the 



I. Borel, she left for the anchorage of Angra, while 



