204 
FROM EDINBURGH TO THE ANTARCTIC 
Between us and the berg the sea had the appearance of 
a slack-water, as if the tide was running towards us from 
either side of the berg. On this were countless myriads 
of Cape pigeons and blue petrels ; each wave was speckled 
with them, about a yard apart, all heading towards the 
distant berg and against the breeze. As we sailed past 
the birds, those closest to us rose and circled round us for 
a little, then joined the others on the water. To make 
a foreground to this Antarctic picture three enormous 
1t& 
■ -"*** .... * ,i 
: " " - ■ ■ : -- ' 
whales rolled their black backs through the grey sea 
with ponderous, irresistible force, throwing up blasts of 
fine spray, which hung in the air for a few seconds, and 
then vanished above their white wake. They were of a 
grey-black colour, with a sheen of purple-brown — 1 finners,' 
we called them. Whenever they rose to blow a flight of 
blue petrels came and hovered over them. 
We caught about a dozen Cape pigeons this afternoon 
for the larder: they make excellent scouse, and we had 
