Notes of Spanish Travel. 25 



which it is fired into the whale. This deadly implement is 

 effective to a much greater distance than the old method. 

 After the whale has become exhausted from the loss of blood 

 and its exertions to escape, it permits a nearer approach, when 

 it is killed by stabs with a lance, which, mounted on a socket, 

 is thrust into a vital part, into its " life," as the whalers ex- 

 pressed it. No. 5 was a very interesting whaling trophy, a gun 

 harpoon used by the Dundee whaler Arctic, and is one of four 

 harpoons taken from a whale captured by that vessel a few years 

 ago. This whale took eight hours to kill, but was well worth 

 all the time and trouble, as it realised above £1 ,000. That 

 may convey some idea of the enormous power of these huge 

 animals. A whale has been known to run out six miles of line. 

 No. 6 was a sailor's club or pickie, used for knocking seals when 

 they are found on the ice. Some years ago it was no uncommon 

 thing for a vessel engaged in the Newfoundland sealing to cap- 

 ture twenty-five to thirty, or sometimes even as many as forty, 

 thousand young seals in one season. During the past season, 

 1888, four Dundee vessels took 66,617 seals at the Newfound- 

 land sealing. The Aurora (Captain Fairweather) took 24,693, 

 the Esquimaux (Captain Milne) took 22,894, the Polynia 

 (Captain Guy) took 7,136, and the Terra Nova (Captain Fair- 

 weather) took 11,895 — tota l 66,617. He was indebted to Mr. 

 Patterson for the particulars, and he had derived them from 

 Mr. Bruce and his friend, Mr. George Hatley, of Dundee. 



The Rev. Mr. Gordon then proceeded with his lecture. 

 He said he did not apologise for bringing them there that 

 evening to hear a rambling report, because, if his remarks 

 on the subject were not of that character, it would hardly 

 be a lifelike and characteristic document ; but he felt that he 

 did owe an apology to a Society devoted to the study of Natural 

 History and Philosophy, inasmuch as he was not blessed with 

 that knowledge, or even an instinct for the acquirement of such 



