PBOaEUSS OF THE "HUMPBACK" SEASON. 259 



were able to go ashore for clothes washing, which 

 necessary process was accompanied with a good deal of 

 fun and hilarity. In the morning cruising was resumed 

 again. 



For a couple of days we met with no success, although 

 we had a very aggravating chase after some smart bulls 

 we fell in with, to our mutual astonishment, just as we 

 rounded a point of the outermost island. They were 

 lazily sunning themselves close under the lee of the cliffs, 

 which at that point were steep-to, having a depth of 

 about twenty fathoms close alongside. A fresh breeze 

 was blowing, so we came round the point at a great pace, 

 being almost among them before they had time to escapa, 

 They went away gaily along the land, not attempting to 

 get seaward, we straining every nerve to get alongside of 

 them. Whether they were tantalizing us or not, I cannot 

 say, but certainly it looked like it. In spite of their well- 

 known speed, we were several times so close in their wake 

 that the harpooners loosed the tacks of the jibs to get a 

 clear shot ; but as they did so the nimble monsters shot 

 ahead a length or two, leaving us just out of reach. It 

 was a fine chase while it lasted, though annoying ; yet 

 one could hardly help feeling amused at the way they 

 wallowed along — just like a school of exaggerated 

 pjrpoises. At last, after nearly two hours of the fun, 

 tliey seemed to have had enough of it, and with one 

 accord headed seaward at a greatly accelerated pace, as 

 who should say, "Well, s' long, boys; company's very 

 pleasant and all that, but we've got important business 

 over at Fiji, and can't stay fooling around here any 

 longer." In a quarter of an hour they were out of 

 sight, leaving us disgusted and outclassed pursuers 

 sneaking back again to shelter, feeling very small. Not 

 that we could have had much hope of success under the 



