340 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [4] 



not able, to see ; for about an hour we had wandered about through all 

 this dirt, grease, and foul odor, and now we had to say satis swperque 

 (enough and more than enough). We were truly thankful when, after 

 having slid back over all these dangerous bypa xiXevda (watery ways), 

 we sat again in our boat, which took us back to the steamer. To honest 

 Svend Foyn we hereby express our deepfelt gratitude for having given 

 us permission to visit his establishment ; we shall not betray any of his 

 secrets, and cheerfully leave him sole possessor of his "filthy lucre;" in 

 spite of the horrible smell he doubtless thinks non olet (it smells not). 



After we had gone about a hundred paces from the factory we no- 

 ticed a small steamer, painted green, which was slowly approaching 

 the shore. Its shape was very peculiar ; it was small and short, ex- 

 ceedingly dirty and greasy, without masts, and instead of the, prow it 

 had a large board shaped like the top of a table. It was one of the 

 vessels which catch whales. Svend Foyn has four of these steamers, 

 which, during all summer, excepting the close season, cruise day and 

 night in the Polar Sea. Their whole arrangement is peculiar in every 

 respect. As we have said, they are not very large, scarcely from 50 to 

 60 feet long, and have powerful engines, which can propel the steamer 

 at a rapid rate both backward and forward. There is no room for any 

 cargo, only for the engine, for coal, and for the crew, which comprises 

 from 6 to 8 men. It has no masts and prow, and therefore no rigging, 

 and is really nothing but a hull. The board referred to above lies en- 

 tirely free, so that from it an unobstructed view is obtained both to- 

 wards the right and the left. On it there is a gun on a movable carriage. 

 It is loaded with a harpoon, whose pointed head protrudes from the 

 mouth of the gun, and to which is attached a long rope, which is wound 

 on a roller. 



