190 NEWFOUNDLAND 



growing larger and larger every moment until it seemed as 

 big as the ship, burst on the surface beside us, and broke 

 the water within ten yards. In a moment we were drenched 

 in blinding spray as the whale spouted in our faces. I turned 

 my arm to protect my camera and to click the shutter as the 

 captain fired his gun. The latter planted the harpoon fairly 

 in the grreat creature's lunofs. 



"Fast!" yelled the cook, who had rushed on deck bran- 

 dishing a kettle of potatoes in one hand. Crimson flecks of 

 blood floating on the emerald sea alone told of the success 

 of the shot. When the crew had seen all they wished then 

 there was a lull of silence. The captain heaved a sigh, the 

 sigh of one who obtains relief after some tense and long- 

 drawn strain. Nothing was heard except the flop, flop of 

 the line as it rolled slowly out, and the movement of the 

 men as they ran quietly to their posts beside the steam - 

 winch and the line-coil down below. 



" Was that a death-shot ? " I asked the captain. 



" Don't know, sir," he answered ; " I think it run a bit. 

 The bomb did not burst." 



It was so. The line at first slowly dribbled out, and 

 then it began to go faster and faster, until it rushed from 

 the bow at such speed that I thought it would catch fire. 



" He's going to travel now," said Nilsen, pulling me 

 away from the smoking rope. " You must not stand there. 

 If the rope breaks you might get killed." 



We repaired to the bridge to get a better view. 



" Two lines gone now " (about 500 yards), said my 

 companion. " I fear I hit him too far back." 



At this moment all eyes were riveted on a great com- 

 motion in the sea about 500 yards away. The next instant 

 the whale appeared, rolling and fighting on the surface. 



