FROM EDINBURGH TO THE ANTARCTIC 201 
a harpoon in its back that it has known its namesake at 
one time. 
The harpooneers are busy splicing foregoes to the ring 
that travels on the shaft of the harpoon. The forego is a 
length of six fathoms of soft, pliable, two-inch rope, so 
pliable that it offers no resistance when the harpoon is 
shot out of the gun at the whale. To the inner end of 
the forego the whale line is spliced. The whale line is 
one hundred and twenty fathoms of two-inch rope (two- 
inches in circumference), and each boat has three of 
these ready to splice together as they run out. But more 
of these technicalities when the whales turn up. 
We have not come away empty-handed from the Falk- 
lands. Mutton there cost 2^d. a lb., so we have a supply 
of fresh meat for the cabin which is very welcome. There 
are legs of beef hanging at the mizzentop and clusters of 
sheep at the quarter-boat davits, enough to keep the cabin 
at least in fresh food for some time; besides, we have some 
fresh vegetables which His Excellency the Governor of 
the islands gave to us out of his own garden. Without 
these we should have had to do without vegetables, as 
the people had none for sale — evidently an enterprising 
gardener would do well there ! The ships that call would 
take a considerable supply, and as most of the colonists — 
there are six hundred and ninety in Port Stanley alone 
— are busily engaged with other occupations, there would 
be enough sale amongst them and the farms in the Camp 
to make things pay well. 
Three of our men left us at the Falklands without any 
formality, They said they couldn't stand the food ; but I 
