FORT PEGASUS. 369 



No one could help being struck by the manly bearing, 

 splendid physique, and simple manners of the inhabitants. 

 If ever it falls to the lot of any one, as I hope it will, to 

 establish a sperm whale fishery in these regions, there 

 need be no lack of workers while such grand specimens 

 of manhood abound there as we saw — all, moreover, 

 fishermen and whalers from their earliest days. 



We did not go far afield, but hovered within ten or 

 fifteen miles of the various entrances, so as not to be 

 blown off the land in case of sudden bad weather. Even 

 with that timid offing, we were only there two days, 

 when an enormous school of sperm whales hove in sight. 

 I dare not say how many I believe there were, and my 

 estimate really might be biassed ; but this I know, that 

 in no given direction could one look to seaward and not 

 see many spouts. 



We got among them and had a good time, being 

 more hampered by the curiosity of the unattached fish 

 than by the pugnacity of those under our immediate 

 attention. So we killed three, and by preconcerted 

 signal warned the watchers on the lofty points ashore of 

 our success. As speedily as possible off came four boats 

 from the shore stations, and hooked on to two of our fish, 

 while we were busy with the third. The wind being off 

 shore, what there was of it, no time was to be lost, in 

 view of the well-known untrustworthiness of the weather ; 

 so we started to cut-in at once, while the shore people 

 worked like giants to tow the other two in. Considering 

 the weakness of their forces, they made marvellous 

 progress ; but seeing how terribly exhausting the toil was, 

 one could not help wishing them one of the small London 

 tugs, familiarly known as " jackals," which would have 

 snaked those monsters along at three or four knots an 

 hour. 



