WHALE HUNTING WITH GUN AND CAMERA 



the finest seamen in the world is the very life and essence 

 of the Viking nature. 



Three hours of this fierce race went on, and the Whale 

 seemed as if it would take us to Iceland. The gallant Fin- 

 back was as fresh as ever when the captain gave the order, 

 ''Quarter speed astern." With a tremendous strain on the 

 rope and the churning of the backward driving screw our 

 speed was at once reduced to ten knots. It was marvelous, 

 the strength of that animal. The minutes and even the 



A finback taking an "intermediate" or '"surface" dive. 



hours fled by, still the great Cetacean held on its northward 

 course without a check. 



Three hours passed; then came the order "Half speed 

 astern," and we were down to six knots, the vessel and the 

 Whale still fighting the battle for the mastery. 



In another hour the Whale showed visible signs of weak- 

 ening when "Full speed astern" brought matters to a stand- 

 still. The machinery of man and the natural strength of 

 the beast still worried on for another hour, and then we 

 saw the steamer moving backwards, the Whale was done, 

 and could pull no more. 1 



"The Mammals of Great Britain and Ireland." By J. G. 

 Millais. Longmans, Green, & Co., pp. 272-273. 



182 



