THE FIN WHALE FISHERY OF FINMAEK. 421 



by gas to be light, commenced heaving in ; to the surprise of the 

 whole crew the harpoon came up quite easily, and they discovered 

 that the detested Greenland sharks had eaten, if not the whole 

 whale, at least the blubber and muscle round the wound, freeing 

 the harpoon. 



We continued heaving gently until the flukes came to the 

 surface, when the engine was immediately stopped, and the 

 "praam" (a small boat answering the purpose of the English 

 dingy) was lowered with a couple of men, who put two bights of 

 chains round the tail, just in front of the flukes ; these chains 

 were carried to the foremost tompions, and secured aft. The 

 flukes were cut off with a blubber-knife, as they would con- 

 siderably increase the resistance in towing ; and at once steaming 

 ahead the body swung round, and we began towing it tail first, 

 the whale lying alongside the steamer. In this position the 

 harpooner and I measured him as well as we could in a straight 

 line along the deck; but as the huge body was plunging and 

 surging about in a moderate sea, with the head more or less 

 under water, we could not arrive at great accuracy, but it was 

 about forty-four feet long, and was a male ; a few measurements 

 are given lower down. 



We took it to the west centre of the entrance to Tana Fjord, 

 about ten English miles (or perhaps rather less) from land, 

 viz., in about 71° N. lat., and 28° 52' 30" long. E. G. The towing 

 began about 9.30 a.m., and we proceeded at about three knots 

 per hour, using full speed (twenty-five horse-power) ; the wind 

 freshened in the afternoon, and by about 4 p.m. it was blowing a 

 fresh breeze, gradually moderating towards evening. We arrived 

 of Vardo at 1.30 next morning, and after an early breakfast 

 (5.30) I went ashore. 



I made the following scanty notes on Balcenopteridce : — 

 Humpback Whale {Megaptera hoops, Fabr.) — Norwegian 

 names, Knol, Pukkelhval,* or (Finmarken) Troldhval. Specimens 

 seen, three males, estimated at about 30, 40, and 44 feet 

 respectively in length. A foetus 34f inches long; a skeleton 

 roughly cleaned (by Dr. Guldberg), &c.t The colour of the 



* Dr. Guldberg, 'Vardo Posten,' Aug. 12tb, 1883. 



f In addition to these were living specimens, and another dead one or two 

 seen from some distance. 



