WHALE HUNTING WITH GUN AND CAMERA 



sound was the retching and groaning of a pump when 

 the ship keeled far over to starboard with the swell. 

 For ten minutes the silence continued, then the Cap- 

 tain said in a quiet voice : ''There he is, far away 

 on the beam." 



Instantly the "ting, ting" of the bell in the engine 

 room sounded and a chase began which I shall long 

 remember as showing what a great part persistency 

 plays in whaling. All the rest of the afternoon the 

 little ship hung to the whale's track, now getting al- 

 most close enough to shoot and again losing sight 

 of the spout in the rain and fog. It was disagreeable 

 enough for me on the bridge, where I could be partly 

 protected from the cold rain by a canvas screen, but 

 Captain Olsen never left the gun. At three o'clock 

 a cup of tea was brought him and he drank it hastily, 

 meanwhile cramming a few crackers into his pocket 

 to be nibbled as opportunity offered. 



The day wore on but the animal seemed to be 

 stronger instead of weaker and at five o'clock I had 

 given up hope that we would ever get another shot. 



I had just started to leave the bridge to go below 

 when the whale spouted about forty fathoms away 

 and it seemed sure that he would rise again within 

 range. The man in the barrel shouted : "There he 

 comes!" and pointed to a spot just beside the port 

 bow. Captain Olsen swung the gun until he was 

 standing almost on the edge of the rope-pan in front. 

 We could see the huge form just under the surface, 

 but it turned down again, leaving a swirling green 

 trail behind it. 



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