60 



THE ZOOLOGIST. 



remarkable that it did not snap, so to avoid accident — for the 

 Whale was making speed and had doubled towards the rudder — 

 the captain ordered eight knots astern, then a quick manoeuvre, 

 and we spun round in remarkable time, only just preventing the 

 wounded animal from coming up under the ship's stern. On 

 its appearance this time it could be seen at once that it was 

 exhausted, and blood changed the colour of the sea in several 

 patches ; but what was most surprising, another Whale, which 

 may have been its mate, kept diving under the captive, possibly 

 exhibiting the sympathy of one for the other. 



The Whale, still finding itself prisoner and its strength 

 going, prepared for one final attempt to release itself of the 

 harpoon by diving down and lashing out with its tail ; the 

 other one did likewise, only in a quicker way. Preparations 

 were now made to haul the captive in ; as the pulls on the rope 

 became more frequent it made feeble attempts to dive, the 

 other cetacean having now disappeared as mysteriously as it 

 came. 



The harpoon was once more brought to bear on the dying 

 Whale whilst it is floundering about, and the bomb strikes and 

 bursts, the sound being distinctly heard by us. As soon as it 

 received its quietus, the shock caused the Whale to bound up- 

 wards, and strike out with its tail and pectorals ; then the whole 

 body quivered for a few moments, the tail being the last to 

 demonstrate once again its wonderful power. 



Little more remains to be said about the capture, for having 

 been secured it is now drawn up with the line, and the long flukes 

 cut off. After this a chain cable is stretched round the stump, 

 and then, lashed to the port, it is ready for home. Sometimes 

 only one charge is given, the Whale being dispatched with 

 a long lance, but this dangerous performance has resulted in 

 many accidents. 



To revert to the chopping off the tail, we were about fifteen 

 miles out when this Hump-back — a fine bull, over forty feet 

 long — was taken. No Sharks had been noticed during the 

 day, only some Dolphins, and we (or at least myself) were 

 not a little surprised to see that a large congregation of these 

 brutes, which had been attracted by the splashing, had now put 

 in an appearance. They fought for the pieces of the tail, so 



