34 THE WHALE HUNTERS 



fins measured more than twice the height of two tall men 

 and that the whole body measured as long as eight men if 

 they lay head to toe on the sand alongside it. 



So many whale were there that a signal was sent to the 

 whale camps and among the men who arrived I found 

 Joseph. Every boat along this coast was manned and 

 upon being asked if I could pull an oar I replied that I 

 could which was not truthful since I have had but little 

 practice in the boats. But I sat next to Joseph and we 

 joined in the sport. The tide having risen we coaxed 

 the whale across the bar and confined them within the 



outer harbour where amid great confusion many were 

 slain. These humpback whales showed an inclination to 

 sink below the surface when dead, but the water around 

 the harbour being very shallow, the whales were soon 

 hauled up the shore and their blubber taken off and sent 

 to the ovens nearby for boiling. 



Eighth of June, At dawn I was awoken by the voices of 

 men who were loading a donkey cart with the cutting 

 tools. Hearing them speak of a drifted sperm whale I 

 dressed and overtook them. We walked to the southern 

 shore and found a sixty foot male sperm whale lying dead 

 among the surf. In its side we found two harpoons 

 inscribed with names of foreign vessels. With great 

 labour the men saved the blubber and carried it to the 

 town for trying out. They also took from the head the 

 spermaceti oil that is found in a special reservoir. 



