THE NIGER AND BENUE 3 



bush-station in 1909, and at once developed a keen 

 love for their adventurous life. We three were now 

 on our way to West and Central Africa, and Mr 

 Talbot had undertaken in the course of our journey- 

 to survey by theodolite and plane-table in Northern 

 Nigeria, and his Government, with the approval of 

 the Colonial Office, had given him special service 

 leave for six months. 



We had set sail on August 10, and ten days later, 

 as we were nearing the African coast, a turmoil in 

 the water aroused our attention. It was caused by 

 a sperm whale, whose huge black bulk was seen from 

 time to time above the white foam, and ever and 

 anon three giant tentacles waved ominously above it. 

 A kraken had embraced the whale in a deadly grip. 

 The ship passed on, and the combatants were lost 

 to sight. 



Another day four rorquals played together within 

 100 yards of us. One raised his whole bulk perpen- 

 dicularly out of the water and gaped his jaws wide 

 open, as he is represented in children's picture-books 

 before swallowing Jonah. But I will not chronicle 

 these glimpses of the deep at length, for when I 

 did so in a letter the recipient replied that seeing 

 was believing but that hearing was not. 



On the 28th of August we arrived at Forcados, 

 a dull, swamp -surrounded station at the mouth of 

 the Niger. There we trans-shipped to a paddle-boat 

 that was to take the mail to all intervening stations 

 between Forcados and Lokoja, our immediate destina- 

 tion, and in accordance with instructions from the 

 Colonial Office the Governor kindly gave us passage 

 on her. 



