WHALE HUNTING WITH GUN AND CAMERA 



the surface first in one direction, then in another, 

 but always the center of a screaming flock of birds 

 which sometimes swept downward in a cloud, dipping 

 into the waves and rising again, the water flashing 

 in myriads of crystal drops from their brown wings. 



As we came close we saw that the whale was in 

 a school of sardines, the fish frantically dashing here 

 and there, often jumping clear out of the water and 

 causing their huge pursuer a deal of trouble to follow 

 their quick turnings. But he managed his lithe body 

 with wonderful rapidity, and ever before the fish 

 left him many yards behind was plowing after them, 

 his great tail sending the water in swirling green 

 patches astern. 



\Ye were going at full speed and came down to half 

 when a hundred fathoms away, but we could not take 

 it slow, for the whale was running directly from us. 

 I got two pictures of the birds and from where I was 

 standing beside the gun could plainly follow the ani- 

 mal in his course. As he rose about sixty fathoms 

 ahead and turned to go down, his back came into 

 view and just behind the fin a large white mark was 

 visible. 



"That's a harpoon scar," said Andersen. "It is a 

 bad sign. He may give us a run for it, after all." 



The engines were at dead slow now, for the whale 

 had surely seen us and might double under water, 

 coming up astern. Andersen was ready at the gun, 

 swinging the huge weapon slightly to and fro, his feet 

 braced, every few seconds calling out to the BoYn 

 aloft, "Miye masu ka?" (Do you see him?) 



no 



