WHALE HUNTING WITH GUN AND CAMERA 



spouts, and the interval between them are all very 

 regular and thus the hunters, after a particular whale 

 has been observed for a few minutes, know exactly 

 when the animal will again appear and how long it 

 will remain visible. 



After its blowing has been finished, the head grad- 

 ually sinks, the back and "small" are curved upward, 

 the flukes are lifted slowly high into the air, and the 

 whale goes straight down. 



During the "big dive" the animal remains below 

 from fifteen to forty minutes and when reappearing, 

 if not disturbed, swims tranquilly along just below the 

 surface at a rate of about three or four miles an hour. 

 His body is then horizontal, with the hump projecting 

 above the water. 



When frightened and speeding, a totally different 

 attitude is assumed and the great flukes are moved 

 violently up and down; at each downward stroke the 

 head sinks eight or ten feet below the surface but rises 

 with the upward motion, presenting only the cutwater- 

 like lower portion. The upstroke of the tail appears 

 to be the more powerful of the two, and at the same 

 time the broad upper half of the head is lifted above 

 the surface. A speed of ten or twelve miles an hour 

 can be reached in this way, which the whalers describe 

 as "going head out." 



The sperm is very playful and like the humpback 

 frequently "breaches," or throws itself out of water, 

 shooting into the air at an angle of about 45 degrees 

 and falling back upon its side. It sometimes lobtails 

 also, pounding the water into spray with its flukes. 



232 



