A JAPANESE WHALE HUNT 



Suddenly with a swish, up from the hold, fast to 

 the rope, came a wad of brown fishing net that had 

 become entangled in the coil below. I jumped to one 

 side just in time to miss it as it swept by and to see 

 it pass safely over the roller at the bow. It was a 



"The winch was then started and the whale drawn slowly toward 

 the ship." 



narrow escape, for if it had jammed, the line would 

 surely have snapped and the whale been lost. 



The burst of speed was soon ended and the whale 

 sounded for ten minutes, giving us all a chance to 

 breathe and wonder what had happened. When the 

 animal came up again, far ahead, the spout was high 

 and full, with no trace of blood, so we knew that 



99 



