HUMP-BACK WHALE IN NATAL WATERS. 



55 



Wishing to witness a bunt, on Sept. 5th I accepted the 

 captain's invitation, and embarked on board the whaler ' Ornen,' 

 a fourteen-ton flat-bottomed tub, the usual stamp of vessel one 

 sees around the coasts of Iceland. She was getting up steam as 

 I stepped aboard just before six o'clock, and I made a light 

 repast of some biscuits and ship's coffee with Capt. Andersen, 

 as I anticipated some rough weather the next few hours at sea. 

 A quarter of an hour later we prepared to move out, by hitching 

 off and making for upstream a few yards distant, where every- 

 thing had been prepared at the station for the removal by us of 

 an old carcase. The blubber having been stripped off in quick 

 time, this lump of flesh was connected by guys to the winches, 

 and then wound with a splash into the sea, where it floated, and 

 was again made fast to the port-bow. Turning round, we made 

 for the bar, crossing it a few minutes to seven o'clock. We com- 

 menced our journey in earnest by getting tackle and blocks into 

 ship's order ; the cargo — one quivering mass of putrefaction — 

 I was informed, was to be let adrift when the stream had been 

 reached, a matter of another hour or so. The wind veered 

 round, almost paralysing my olfactories by the nauseous air we 

 breathed, and the spice of the promised adventure lost much of 

 its interest. 



To those whose stories of W T hales date back to their school 

 days, and which were garnered from the pages of Kingston and 

 Ballantyne, the proceedings are somewhat unorthodox. 



A number of sea-birds that had followed us all along were 

 now joined by others, which, excited at the prospect of a meal, 

 kept hovering around us at close quarters, screaming and 

 uttering all sorts of mournful cries. With one exception I 

 was able to recognize some familiar types, and, as my observa- 

 tions must not take up too much space, I will enumerate a few 

 species only. 



Among the Gavice was noticed Larus dominica?ius, a bird 

 common along the whole coast ; they were in company with 

 some smaller birds, which I thought to be young Gulls. L. 

 cirrocephalus, Grey-headed Gull. Several old birds. 



Of the Sternince, Mr. W. L. Sclater mentions no fewer than 

 seventeen species as inhabiting these coasts. 



I made notes of the following stragglers, for such I believe 



