WHALE HUNTING WITH GUN AND CAMERA 



bridge I said to the man at the wheel, "Kore wa nani 

 desu ka?" (What kind is it?) 



He replied in Japanese: "I don't know yet; sperm, 

 I think." 



I was tremendously excited at this for 1 wished 



The spout of a sei whale. The column of vapor shoots straight 

 upward and is lower and less dense than that of the finback. 



above all things to get at close quarters with a school 

 of sperm whales, which, off this coast, often numbers 

 several hundred individuals. I strained my eyes 

 through a powerful field glass, sweeping the sea ahead 

 to catch sight of a spout which would tell the story. 

 Suddenly it came, about a mile ahead, and we both 

 exclaimed, "Iwashi kujira!" (Sardine whale!) for the 

 column of vapor shooting straight upward and drift- 



94 



