MODERN FIN-WHALING 175 



" Half-speed astern," and we were down to 6 knots, the 

 vessel and the whale still fighting the battle for the mastery. 

 In another hour the whale showed visible signs of weakening, 

 when " Full-speed astern " brought matters to a standstill. 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. 



The rope was then slackened, hoisted on to a "giving" 

 pulley, and then wound on to the powerful steam winch, 

 which, acting like the fisherman's reel, at once began to 

 "take in." Nothing was heard for another hour but the 

 monotonous throb of the engine, until at last on the crest of 

 a wave, about 300 yards to windward, was seen the great 

 Finback, rolling over and over, spouting continuously, but so 

 tired that it was unable to drag or dive. 



The captain now gave the order, " Lower away to lance." 

 There was a fairly heavy sea running, as there always is off 

 Shetland, and yet I never saw anything more smartly done 

 than the way in which those Norwegians flung their light 

 "pram" into the water and jumped in from the bulwarks. 

 Other men were ready with the oars, which they handed to 

 the two rowers, whilst the mate seized the long 15-foot 

 "killing" lance, and the small party rowed rapidly away 

 towards the whale. This is the dangerous part of whaling ; 

 the killing of the Finback, and more especially the Humpback, 

 is neither a safe nor an easy matter. If the whale is not 

 quite exhausted, it rapidly rights itself, and goes for the boat 

 and its occupants, whom it endeavours to strike with its 

 flippers ; sometimes it turns away from the boat and brings 

 the tail sharply downwards on boat and men. Many fatal 

 accidents have occurred on such occasions. 



