348 TEE CRUISE OF THE " CACHALOT" 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



paddy's latest exploit. 



New Zealand is pre-eminently a country of grand 

 harbours ; but I think those that are least used easily 

 bear the palm for grandeur of scenery and facility of 

 access. The wonderful harbour, or rather series of 

 harbours, into which we were now entering for the first 

 time, greatly resembled in appearance a Norwegian fjord, 

 not only in the character of its scenery, but from the 

 interesting, if disconcerting, fact that the cliffs were 

 so steep-to that in some places no anchorage is found 

 alongside the very land itself. There are, however, 

 many places where the best possible anchorage can be 

 obtained, so securely sheltered that a howling south- 

 wester may be tearing the sea up by the roots outside, 

 and you will know nothing of it within, except what may 

 be surmised from the motion of the clouds overhead. It 

 was an ideal place for a whaling station, being right on 

 the Solander. 



We found it exceedingly convenient, and much nearer 

 than Port William, but, from the prevailing winds, diffi- 

 cult of access in nine cases out of ten, especially when 

 hampered with a whale. Upon cutting-in our latest 

 catch, an easy explanation of his passive attitude was 

 at once forthcoming. He had been attacked by some 



