188 NEWFOUNDLAND 



speed it makes some noise which the whales hear and, in 

 consequence, accelerate their speed. In the afternoon we 

 found a very large Finback, whose course was followed by a 

 cloud of Leach's Petrel. At one time, as the whale dived 

 slowly in a mass of " kril," these birds were to be seen 

 gathering in a perfect swarm in its wake, and picking the 

 floating Crustacea off the sea. It was a most interesting 

 sight, and I made a sketch of it, which is given here. How- 

 ever, the whale defeated us just as we seemed about to get 

 a shot, and as evening drew on we lost it. 



Friday, i8th August, is one of the red-letter days of my 

 life, so I give it just as it is entered in my diary. 



During the night the captain decided to steam right out 

 for the Greenbank (about one hundred and twenty miles due 

 south of St. Lawrence). The wind had fallen, and I was 

 eating my breakfast and reading Dickens, when at 9 a.m. I 

 heard the engines slow down, and knew that meant whales, 

 so I ran on deck. 



It was a glorious morning, with bright sun and the sea 

 like oil. Far ahead were two spouts of silvery spray, and 

 as we approached I could see they were higher than those 

 of Finbacks. 



"Yes, those are Blaa-hval" (Blue Whales), said Johanes- 

 sen, "and we shall kill to-day." 



We were within three hundred yards of the larger of the 

 two whales when it rolled over, showing its enormous tail, 

 and disappeared for the "big" dive. 



"That's a ninety-foot bull," said the captain, as I stood 

 beside the gun. His eyes glistened as he swayed the swivel 

 to and fro to make sure that the engine of destruction worked 

 well. Both whales were under the sea for a quarter of an 



