WHALE HUNTING WITH GUN AND CAMERA 



mals went down churning the water into foam, and 

 when next we saw them they were close together, far 

 astern. 



Although the chase had been an aggravation to 

 the whalers, I had reaped a harvest of pictures and 

 had exposed every plate in the holders. While So- 

 renson, the gunner, was reloading the gun, I descended 

 into the hold, substituted fresh plates, and packed the 

 others in the pasteboard boxes. My work was has- 

 tened by the sudden stopping and starting of the en- 

 gines which proclaimed that another whale had been 

 sighted and the chase already begun. 



Pushing away the hatch which covered the en- 

 trance to the hold, I swung up the steep ladder to 

 the deck above. Sure enough a big humpback was 

 spouting only a short distance away, now and then 

 rolling on his side and throwing his great black and 

 white fin in the air. 



"He's feeding," said Sorenson, as I stepped up be- 

 side him; "but he's pretty wild. Perhaps we'll kill 

 this time." 



Back and forth for two hours we followed the ani- 

 mal, sometimes getting so close that when I saw 

 him burst to the surface I held my breath, expect- 

 ing to hear the roar of the gun beside me; but Soren- 

 son, somewhat chagrined by his miss at the last whale, 

 wished to be sure of this shot and would not take 

 a chance. The Captain swung the boat in a long cir- 

 cle each time the animal disappeared and it seemed 

 almost certain that we would at last be near when 

 he came up. And so it happened, for when we had 



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