A JAPANESE WHALE HUNT 



far," and I pressed the button of the camera as the 

 broad back came into view. 



Almost with the sound of the shutter, and before 

 I had lifted my eyes from the focusing hood, I was 

 deafened by the roar of the gun and enveloped in a 

 great cloud of white smoke. It was impossible to 

 see, but the line could be heard singing over the roller 



"I pressed the button of the camera as the broad back came into 



view." 



at the bow and, as the smoke blew away, I caught 

 sight of the high back-fin of the whale cutting the 

 water like a knife. 



"Bur-r-r, whip!'' went the heavy rope and in a few 

 seconds a hundred fathoms had gone out. Never had 

 I seen a whale run as that one did. The Engineer 

 at the winch was just visible through the haze of 

 smoke which streamed from the brake, and the smell 

 of powder and burning wood hung thick in the air. 



97 



