The Cruise of the Cachalot .................................................................................................................................1

Frank T. Bullen........................................................................................................................................1

In grateful remembrance of thirty years' constant friendship and practical help this work is affectionately

In the following pages an attempt has been madeit is believed for the first timeto give an account of the

cruise of a South Sea whaler from the seaman's standpoint. Two very useful books have been

publishedboth of them over half a century agoon the same subject; but, being written by the surgeons of

whale ships for scientific purposes, neither of them was interesting to the general reader. ["Narrative of a

Whaling Voyage round the Globe," by F Debell Bennett, F.R.C.S. (2 vols). Bentley, London (1840). "The

Sperm Whale Fishery," by Thomas Beale, M.R.C.S. London (1835).] They have both been long out of print;

but their value to the student of natural history has been, and still is, very great, Dr. Beale's book, in

This book does not pretend to compete with either of the above valuable works. Its aims is to present to the

general reader a simple account of the methods employed, and the dangers met with, in a calling about which

the great mass of the public knows absolutely nothing. Pending the advent of some great writer who shall see

the wonderful possibilities for literature contained in the worldwide wanderings of the South Sea whale

fishers, the author has endeavoured to summarize his experiences so that they may be read without weariness,

The manifold shortcomings of the work will not, it is trusted, be laid to the account of the subject, than which

none more interesting could well be imagined, but to the limitations of the writer, whose long experience of

One claim may be made with perfect confidencethat if the manner be not all that could be wished, the

matter is entirely trustworthy, being compiled from actual observation and experience, and in no case at

secondhand. An endeavour has also been made to exclude such matter as is easily obtainable

elsewherematters of common knowledge and "padding" of any sortthe object not being simply the

Great care has been taken to use no names either of ships or persons, which could, by being identified, give

annoyance or pain to any one, as in many cases strong language has been necessary for the expression of

Finally, the author hopes that, although in no sense exclusively a book for boys, the coming generation may

find this volume readable and interesting; and with that desire he offers it confidently, though in all humility,

Without attempting the ambitious task of presenting a comprehensive sketch of the origin, rise, and fall of

whale fishing as a whole, it seems necessary to give a brief outline of that portion of the subject bearing

This preliminary is the more needed for the reason alluded to in the Prefacethe want of knowledge of the

subject that is apparent everywhere. The Greenland whale fishery has been so popularized that most people

know something about it; the sperm whale fishery still awaits its Scoresby and a like train of imitators and

Cachalots, or sperm whales, must have been captured on the coasts of Europe in a desultory way from a very

early date, by the incidental allusions to the prime products spermaceti and ambergris which are found in so

many ancient writers, Shakespeare's reference"The sovereign'st thing on earth was parmaceti for an inward

bruise"will be familiar to most people, as well as Milton's mention of the delicacies at Satan's

But in the year 1690 the brave and hardy fishermen of the north east coasts of North America established

that systematic pursuit of the cachalot which has thriven so wonderfully ever since, although it must be

confessed that the last few years have witnessed a serious decline in this great branch of trade.

For many years the American colonists completely engrossed this branch of the whale fishery, contentedly

leaving to Great Britain and the continental nations the monopoly of the northern or Arctic fisheries, while

For the resultant products, their best customer was the mother country, and a lucrative commerce steadily

grew up between the two countries. But when the march of events brought the unfortunate and wholly

unnecessary War of Independence, this flourishing trade was the first to suffer, and many of the daring

The total stoppage of the importation of sperm oil and spermaceti was naturally severely felt in England, for

time had not permitted the invention of substitutes. In consequence of this, ten ships were equipped and sent

out to the sperm whale fishery from England in 1776, most of them owned by one London firm, the Messrs.

Enderby. The next year, in order to encourage the infant enterprise, a Government bounty, graduated from

L500 to L1000 per ship, was granted. Under this fostering care the number of ships engaged in the sperm

This method of whaling being quite new to our whalemen, it was necessary, at great cost, to hire American

officers and harpooners to instruct them in the ways of dealing with these highly active and dangerous

cetacea. Naturally, it was byand by found possible to dispense with the services of these auxiliaries; but it

must be confessed that the business never seems to have found such favour, or to have been prosecuted with

Something of an exotic the trade always was among us, although it did attain considerable proportions at one

time. At first the fishing was confined to the Atlantic Ocean; nor for many years was it necessary to go farther

As, however, the number of ships engaged increased, it was inevitable that the known grounds should

become exhausted, and in 1788 Messrs. Enderby's ship, the EMILIA, first ventured round Cape Horn, as the

pioneer of a greater trade than ever. The way once pointed out, other ships were not slow to follow, until, in

1819, the British whaleship SYREN opened up the till then unexplored tract of ocean in the western part of

the North Pacific, afterwards familiarly known as the "Coast of Japan." From these teeming waters alone, for

many years an average annual catch of 40,000 barrels of oil was taken, which, at the average price of L8 per

The Australian colonists, early in their career, found the sperm whale fishery easy of access from all their

coasts, and especially lucrative. At one time they bade fair to establish a whale fishery that should rival the

splendid trade of the Americans; but, like the mother country, they permitted the fishery to decline, so that

Meanwhile, the Americans added to their fleet continually, prospering amazingly. But suddenly the advent of

the civil war let loose among those peaceable cruisers the devastating ALABAMA, whose course was

marked in some parts of the world by the fires of blazing whaleships. A great part, of the Geneva award was

on this account, although it must be acknowledged that many pseudoowners were enriched who never

owned aught but brazen impudence and influential friends to push their fictitious claims. The real sufferers,

From this crushing blow the American sperm whale fishery has never fully recovered. When the writer was

in the trade, some twentytwo years ago, it was credited with a fleet of between three and four hundred sail;

now it may be doubted whether the numbers reach an eighth of that amount. A rigid conservatism of method

hinders any revival of the industry, which is practically conducted today as it was fifty, or even a hundred

years ago; and it is probable that another decade will witness the final extinction of what was once one of the

At the age of eighteen, after a seaexperience of six years from the time when I dodged about London streets,

a ragged Arab, with wits sharpened by the constant fight for food, I found myself roaming the streets of New

Bedford, Massachusetts. How I came to be there, of all places in the world, does not concern this story at all,

so I am not going to trouble my readers with it; enough to say that I WAS there, and mighty anxious to get

away. Sailor Jack is always hankering for shore when he is at sea, but when he is "outward bound"that is,

So as MY money was all gone, I was hungry for a ship; and when a long, keenlooking man with a goatlike

beard, and mouth stained with dry tobaccojuice, hailed me one afternoon at the street corner, I answered

very promptly, scenting a berth. "Lookin' fer a ship, stranger?" said he. "Yes; do you want a hand?" said I,

anxiously. He made a funny little sound something like a pony's whinny, then answered, "Wall, I should

surmise that I want between fifty and sixty hands, ef yew kin lay me onto 'em; but, kem along, every dreep's a

drop, an' yew seem likely enough." With that he turned and led the way until we reached a building around

which were gathered one of the most nondescript crowds I had ever seen. There certainly did not appear to be

a sailor among them. Not so much by their rig, though that is not a great deal to go by, but by their actions

and speech. One thing they all had in common, tobacco chewing but as nearly every male I met with in

America did that, it was not much to be noticed. I had hardly done reckoning them up when two or three

bustling men came out and shepherded us all energetically into a long, low room, where some form of

agreement was read out to us. Sailors are naturally and usually careless about the nature of the "articles" they

sign, their chief anxiety being to get to sea, and under somebody's charge. But had I been ever so anxious to

know what I was going to sign this time, I could not, for the language might as well have been Chinese for all

I understood of it. However, I signed and passed on, engaged to go I knew not where, in some ship I did not

know even the name of, in which I was to receive I did not know how much, or how little, for my labour, nor

how long I was going to be away. "What a young fool!" I hear somebody say. I quite agree, but there were a

From the time we signed the articles, we were never left to ourselves. Truculentlooking men accompanied

us to our several boardinghouses, paid our debts for us, finally bringing us by boat to a ship lying out in the

bay. As we passed under her stern, I read the name CACHALOT, of New Bedford; but as soon as we ranged

alongside, I realized that I was booked for the sailor's horrora cruise in a whaler. Badly as I wanted to get

to sea, I had not bargained for this, and would have run some risks to get ashore again; but they took no

chances, so we were all soon aboard. Before going forward, I took a comprehensive glance around, and saw

that I was on board of a vessel belonging to a type which has almost disappeared off the face of the waters. A

more perfect contrast to the trimbuilt English clipperships that I had been accustomed to I could hardly

imagine. She was one of a class characterized by sailors as "built by the mile, and cut off in lengths as you

want 'em," Bow and stern almost alike masts standing straight as broomsticks, and bowsprit soaring upwards

at an angle of about fortyfive degrees. She was as oldfashioned in her rig as in her hull; but I must not go

into the technical differences between rigs, for fear of making myself tedious. Right in the centre of the deck,

occupying a space of about ten feet by eight, was a square erection of brickwork, upon which my wondering

gaze rested longest, for I had not the slightest idea what it could be. But I was rudely roused from my

meditations by the harsh voice of one of the officers, who shouted, "Naow then, git below an' stow yer

dunnage, 'n look lively up agin." I took the, broad hint, and shouldering my traps, hurried forward to the

fo'lk'sle, which was below deck. Tumbling down the steep ladder, I entered the gloomy den which was to be

for so long my home, finding it fairly packed with my shipmates. A motley crowd they were. I had been used

in English ships to considerable variety of nationality; but here were gathered, not only the representatives of

five or six nations, but 'longshoremen of all kinds, half of whom had hardly ever set eyes on a ship before!

The whole space was undivided by partition, but I saw at once that black men and white had separated

themselves, the blacks taking the port side and the whites the starboard. Finding a vacant bunk by the dim

glimmer of the ancient teapot lamp that hung amidships, giving out as much smoke as light, I hurriedly

shifted my coat for a "jumper" or blouse, put on an old cap, and climbed into the fresh air again. For a double

reason, even MY seasoned head was feeling bad with the villainous reek of the place, and I did not want any

of those hardfeatured officers on deck to have any cause to complain of my "hanging back." On board ship,

especially American ships, the first requisite for a sailor who wants to be treated properly is to "show

willing," any suspicion of slackness being noted immediately, and the backward one marked accordingly. I

had hardly reached the deck when I was confronted by a negro, the biggest I ever saw in, my life. He looked

me up and down for a moment, then opening his ebony features in a wide smile, he said, "Great snakes! why,

here's a sailor man for sure! Guess thet's so, ain't it, Johnny?" I said "yes" very curtly, for I hardly liked his

patronizing air; but he snapped me up short with "yes, SIR, when yew speak to me, yew blank limejuicer.

I'se de fourf mate ob dis yar ship, en my name's Mistah Jones, 'n yew, jest freeze on to dat ar, ef yew want ter

lib long'n die happy. See, sonny." I SAW, and answered promptly, "I beg your pardon, sir, I didn't know." Ob

cawse yew didn't know, dat's all right, little Britisher; naow jest skip aloft 'n loose dat foretaupsle." "Aye,

aye, sir," I answered cheerily, springing at once into the forerigging and up the ratlines like a monkey, but

not too fast to hear him chuckle, "Dat's a smart kiddy, I bet." I had the big sail loose in double quick time, and

sung out "All gone, the foretaupsle," before any of the other sails were adrift. "Loose the togantsle and

staysles" came up from below in a voice like thunder, and I bounded up higher to my task. On deck I could

see a crowd at the windlass heaving up anchor. I said to myself, "They don't waste any time getting this

packet away." Evidently they were not anxious to test any of the crew's swimming powers. They were wise,

for had she remained at anchor that night I verily believe some of the poor wretches would have tried to

The anchor came aweigh, the sails were sheeted home, and I returned on deck to find the ship gathering way

What a beargarden the deck was, to be sure! The black portion of the crewPortuguese natives from the

Western and Canary Islandswere doing their work all right in a clumsy fashion; but the farmers, and

bakers, and draymen were being driven about mercilessly amid a perfect hurricane of profanity and blows.

And right here I must say that, accustomed as I had always been to bad language all my life, what I now

heard was a revelation to me. I would not, if I could, attempt to give a sample of it, but it must be understood

that it was incessant throughout the voyage. No order could be given without it, under the impression,

Before nightfall we were fairly out to sea, and the ceremony of dividing the crew into watches was gone

through. I found myself in the chief mate's or "port" watch (they called it "larboard," a term I had never heard

used before, it having long been obsolete in merchant ships), though the huge negro fourth mate seemed none

too well pleased that I was not under his command, his being the starboard watch under the second mate.

As night fell, the condition of the "greenies," or nonsailor portion of the crew, was pitiable. Helpless from

seasickness, not knowing where to go or what to do, bullied relentlessly by the ruthless petty

officerswell, I never felt so sorry for a lot of men in my life. Glad enough I was to get below into the

fo'lk'sle for supper, and a brief rest and respite from that cruelty on deck. A bit of salt junk and a piece of

bread, i.e. biscuit, flinty as a pantile, with a pot of something sweetened with "longlick" (molasses), made an

apology for a meal, and I turned in. In a very few minutes oblivion came, making me as happy as any man

The hideous noise always considered necessary in those ships when calling the watch, roused me effectively

at midnight, "eight bells." I hurried on deck, fully aware that no leisurely ten minutes would be allowed here.

"Lay aft the watch," saluted me as I emerged into the keen strong air, quickening my pace according to where

the mate stood waiting to muster his men. As soon as he saw me, he said, "Can you steer?" in a mocking

tone; but when I quietly answered, "Yes, sir," his look of astonishment was delightful to see. He choked it

down, however, and merely telling me to take the wheel, turned forrard roaring frantically for his watch. I

had no time to chuckle over what I knew was in store for him, getting those poor greenies collected from their

several holes and corners, for on taking the wheel I found a machine under my hands such as I never even

The wheel was fixed upon the tiller in such a manner that the whole concern travelled backwards and

forwards across the deck in the maddest kind of way. For the first quarter of an hour, in spite of the

September chill, the sweat poured off me in streams. And the coursewell, if was not steering, it was

sculling; the old bumboat was wobbling all around like a drunken tailor with two left legs. I fairly shook with

apprehension lest the mate should come and look in the compass. I had been accustomed to hard words if I

did not steer within half a point each way; but here was a "gadget" that worked me to death, the result being a

wake like a letter S. Gradually I got the hang of the thing, becoming easier in my mind on my own account.

Even that was not an unmixed blessing, for I had now some leisure to listen to the goingson around the

Such brutality I never witnessed before. On board of English ships (except menofwar) there is practically

no discipline, which is bad, but this sort of thing was maddening. I knew how desperately ill all those poor

wretches were, how helpless and awkward they would be if quite hale and hearty; but there was absolutely no

pity for them, the officers seemed to be incapable of any feelings of compassion whatever. My heart sank

within me as I thought of what lay before me, although I did not fear that their treatment would also be mine,

since I was at least able to do my duty, and willing to work hard to keep out of trouble. Then I began to

wonder what sort of voyage I was in for, how long it would last, and what my earnings were likely to be,

Fortunately, I was alone in the world. No one, as far as I knew, cared a straw what became of me; so that I

was spared any worry on that head. And I had also a very definite and well established trust in God, which I

can now look back and see was as fully justified as I then believed it to be. So, as I could not shut my ears to

the cruelties being carried on, nor banish thought by hard work, I looked up to the stately stars, thinking of

things not to be talked about without being suspected of cant. So swiftly passed the time that when four bells

I was relieved by one of the Portuguese, and went forward to witness a curious scene. Seven stalwart men

were being compelled to march up and down on that tumbling deck, men who had never before trodden

The third mate, a waspish, spiteful little Yankee with a face like an angry cat, strolled about among them, a

strand of rope yarns in his hand, which he wielded constantly, regardless where he struck a man. They fell

about, sometimes four or five at once, and his blows flew thick and fast, yet he never seemed to weary of his

illdoing. It made me quite sick, and I longed to be aft at the wheel again. Catching sight of me standing

irresolute as to what I had better do, he ordered me on the "lookout," a tiny platform between the "knight

heads," just where the bowsprit joins the ship. Gladly I obeyed him, and perched up there looking over the

wide sea, the time passed quickly away until eight bells (four o'clock) terminated my watch. I must pass

rapidly over the condition of things in the fo'lk'sle, where all the greenies that were allowed below, were

groaning in misery from the stifling atmosphere which made their sickness so much worse, while even that

dreadful place was preferable to what awaited them on deck. There was a rainbow coloured halo round the

flame of the lamp, showing how very bad the air was; but in spite of that I turned in and slept soundly till

American ships generally have an excellent name for the way they feed their crews, but the whalers are a

notable exception to that good rule. The food was really worse than that on board any English ship I have

ever sailed in, so scanty also in quantity that it kept all the foremast hands at starvation point. But grumbling

was dangerous, so I gulped down the dirty mixture misnamed coffee, ate a few fragments of biscuit, and

filled up (?) with a smoke, as many better men are doing this morning. As the bell struck I hurried on

decknot one moment too soonfor as I stepped out of the scuttle I saw the third mate coming forward

Before going any farther I must apologize for using so many capital I's, but up till the present I had been the

The decks were scrubbed spotlessly clean, and everything was neat and tidy as on board a manofwar,

contrary to all usual notions of the condition of a whaler. The mate was in a state of high activity, so I soon

found myself very busily engaged in getting up whalelines, harpoons, and all the varied equipment for the

pursuit of whales. The number of officers carried would have been a good crew for the ship, the complete

afterguard comprising captain, four mates, four harpooners or boat steerers, carpenter, cooper, steward and

cook. All these worthies were on deck and working with might and main at the preparations, so that the

incompetence of the crowd forrard was little hindrance. I was pounced upon by "Mistah" Jones, the fourth

mate, whom I heard addressed familiarly as "Goliath" and "Anak" by his brother officers, and ordered to

assist him in rigging the "crow'snest" at the main royalmast head. It was a simple affair. There were a pair

of crosstrees fitted to the mast, upon which was secured a tiny platform about a foot wide on each side of

the mast, while above this foothold a couple of padded hoops like a pair of giant spectacles were secured At a

little higher than a man's waist. When all was fast one could creep up on the platform, through the hoop, and,

resting his arms upon the latter, stand comfortably and gaze around, no matter how vigorously the old barky

plunged and kicked beneath him. From that lofty eyrie I had a comprehensive view of the vessel. She was

about 350 tons and full shiprigged, that is to say, she carried square sails on all three masts. Her deck was

flush fore and aft, the only obstructions being the brickbuilt "tryworks" in the waist, the galley, and cabin

skylight right aft by the taffrail. Her bulwarks were set thickly round with clumsy looking wooden cranes,

from which depended five boats. Two more boats were secured bottom up upon a gallows aft, so she seemed

to be well supplied in that direction. Mistah Jones, finding I did not presume upon his condescension,

gradually unbent and furnished me with many interesting facts about the officers. Captain Slocum, he said,

was "de debbil hisself, so jess yew keeps yer lamps trim' fer him, sonny, taint helthy ter rile him." The first

officer, or the mate as he is always called PAR EXCELLENCE, was an older man than the captain, but a

good seaman, a good whaleman, and a gentleman. Which combination I found to be a fact, although hard to

believe possible at the time. The second mate was a Portuguese about forty years of age, with a face like one

of Vandyke's cavaliers, but as I now learned, a perfect fiend when angered. He also was a first class

whaleman, but an indifferent seaman. The third mate was nothing much but bad tempernot much sailor,

nor much whaler, generally in hot water with the skipper, who hated him because he was an "owner's man."

"An de fourf mate," wound up the narrator, straightening his huge bulk,"am de bes' man in de ship, and de

bigges'. Dey aint no whalemen in Noo Bedford caynt teach ME nuffin, en ef it comes ter manhandlin'; w'y I

jes' pick 'em two't a time 'n crack 'em togerrer like so, see!" and he smote the palms of his great paws against

The weather being fine, with a steady N.E. wind blowing, so that the sails required no attention, work

proceeded steadily all the morning. The oars were sorted, examined for flaws, and placed in the boats; the

whaleline, manilla rope like yellow silk, 1 1/2 inch round, was brought on deck, stretched and coiled down

with the greatest care into tubs, holding, some 200 fathoms, and others 100 fathoms each. New harpoons

were fitted to poles of rough but heavy wood, without any attempt at neatness, but every attention to strength.

The shape of these weapons was not, as is generally thought, that of an arrow, but rather like an arrow with

one huge barb, the upper part of which curved out from the shaft. The whole of the barb turned on a stout

pivot of steel, but was kept in line with the shaft by a tiny wooden peg which passed through barb and shaft,

being then cut off smoothly on both sides. The point of the harpoon had at one side a wedge shaped edge,

ground to razor keenness, the other side was flat. The shaft, about thirty inches long, was of the best

malleable iron, so soft that it would tie into a knot and straighten out again without fracture. Three harpoons,

or "irons" as they were always called, were placed in each boat, fitted one above the other in the starboard

bow, the first for use being always one unused before, Opposite to them in the boat were fitted three lances

for the purpose of KILLING whales, the harpoons being only the means by which the boat was attached to a

fish, and quite useless to inflict a fatal wound. These lances were slender spears of malleable iron about four

feet long, with oval or heartshaped points of fine steel about two inches broad, their edges kept keen as a

surgeon's lancet. By means of a socket at the other end they were attached to neat handles, or "lancepoles,"

about as long again, the whole weapon being thus about eight feet in length, and furnished with a light line,

or "lancewarp," for the purpose of drawing it back again when it had been darted at a whale.

Each boat was fitted with a centreboard, or sliding keel, which was drawn up, when not in use, into a case

standing in the boat's middle, very much in the way. But the American whalemen regard these clumsy

contrivances as indispensable, so there's an end on't. The other furniture of a boat comprised five oars of

varying lengths from sixteen to nine feet, one great steering oar of nineteen feet, a mast and two sails of great

area for so small a craft, spritsail shape; two tubs of whaleline containing together 1800 feet, a keg of

drinking water, and another long narrow one with a few biscuits, a lantern, candles and matches therein; a

bucket and "piggin" for baling, a small spade, a flag or "wheft," a shoulder bombgun and ammunition, two

With all this gear, although snugly stowed, a boat looked so loaded that I could not help wondering how six

men would be able to work in her; but like most "deepwater" sailors, I knew very little about boating. I was

All this work and bustle of preparation was so rapidly carried on, and so interesting, that before suppertime

everything was in readiness to commence operations, the time having gone so swiftly that I could hardly

During all the bustle of warlike preparation that had been going on, the greenhorns had not suffered from

inattention on the part of those appointed to look after them. Happily for them, the wind blew steadily, and

the weather, thanks to the balmy influence of the Gulf Stream, was quite mild and genial. The ship was

undoubtedly lively, as all good seaboats are, but her motions were by no means so detestable to a seasick

man as those of a driving steamer. So, in spite of their treatment, perhaps because of it, some of the poor

fellows were beginning to take hold of things "manfashion," although of course sea, legs they had none,

their getting about being indeed a pilgrimage of pain. Some of them were beginning to try the dreadful "grub"

(I cannot libel "food" by using it in such a connection), thereby showing that their interest in life, even such a

life as was now before them, was returning. They had all been allotted places in the various boats, intermixed

with the seasoned Portuguese in such a way that the officer and harpooner in charge would not be dependant

upon them entirely in case of a sudden emergency. Every endeavour was undoubtedly made to instruct them

in their duties, albeit the teachers were all too apt to beat their information in with anything that came to

The reports I had always heard of the laziness prevailing on board whaleships were now abundantly

falsified. From dawn to dark work went on without cessation. Everything was rubbed and scrubbed and

scoured until no speck or soil could be found; indeed, no gentleman's yacht or manofwar is kept more

A regular and severe routine of labour was kept up; and, what was most galling to me, instead of a regular

four hours' watch on and off, night and day, all hands were kept on deck the whole day long, doing quite

unnecessary tasks, apparently with the object of preventing too much leisure and consequent brooding over

their unhappy lot. One result of this continual drive and tear was that all these landsmen became rapidly

imbued with the virtues of cleanliness, which was extended to the den in which we lived, or I verily believe

On the fourth day after leaving port we were all busy as usual except the four men in the "crow'snests,"

when a sudden cry of "Porps! porps!" brought everything to a standstill. A large school of porpoises had just

joined us, in their usual clownish fashion, rolling and tumbling around the bows as the old barky wallowed

along, surrounded by a wide ellipse of snowy foam. All work was instantly suspended, and active

preparations made for securing a few of these frolicsome fellows. A "block," or pulley, was hung out at the

bowsprit end, a whaleline passed through it and "bent" (fastened) on to a harpoon. Another line with a

running "bowline," or slipnoose, was also passed out to the bowsprit end, being held there by one man in

readiness. Then one of the harpooners ran out along the backropes, which keep the jibboom down, taking

his stand beneath the bowsprit with the harpoon ready. Presently he raised his iron and followed the track of a

rising porpoise with its point until the creature broke water. At the same instant the weapon left his grasp,

apparently without any force behind it; but we on deck, holding the line, soon found that our excited hauling

lifted a big vibrating body clean out of the smother beneath. "'Vast hauling!" shouted the mate, while as the

porpoise hung dangling, the harpooner slipped the ready bowline over his body, gently closing its grip round

the "small" by the broad tail. Then we hauled on the nooseline, slacking away the harpoon, and in a minute

had our prize on deck. He was dragged away at once and the operation repeated. Again and again we hauled

them in, until the fore part of the deck was alive with the kicking, writhing seapigs, at least twenty of them.

I had seen an occasional porpoise caught at sea before, but never more than one at a time. Here, however, was

a wholesale catch. At last one of the harpooned ones plunged so furiously while being hauled up that he

literally tore himself off the iron, falling, streaming with blood, back into the sea.

Away went all the school after him, tearing at him with their long welltoothed jaws, some of them leaping

high in the air in their eagerness to get their due share of the cannibal feast. Our fishing was over for that

time. Meanwhile one of the harpooners had brought out a number of knives, with which all hands were soon

busy skinning the blubber from the bodies. Porpoises have no skin, that is hide, the blubber or coating of lard

which encases them being covered by a black substance as thin as tissue paper. The porpoise hide of the boot

maker is really leather, made from the skin of the BELUGA, or "white whale," which is found only in the far

north. The cover was removed from the "tryworks" amidships, revealing two gigantic pots set in a frame of

brickwork side by side, capable of holding 200 gallons each. Such a cooking apparatus as might have graced

a Brobdingnagian kitchen. Beneath the pots was the very simplest of furnaces, hardly as elaborate as the

familiar copperhole sacred to washing day. Square funnels of sheetiron were loosely fitted to the flues,

more as a protection against the oil boiling over into the fire than to carry away the smoke, of which from the

peculiar nature of the fuel there was very little, At one side of the tryworks was a large wooden vessel, or

"hopper," to contain the raw blubber; at the other, a copper cistern or cooler of about 300 gallons capacity,

into which the prepared oil was baled to cool off, preliminary to its being poured into the casks. Beneath the

furnaces was a space as large as the whole area of the tryworks, about a foot deep, which, when the fires

It may be imagined that the blubber from our twenty porpoises made but a poor show in one of the pots;

nevertheless, we got a barrel of very excellent oil from them. The fires were fed with "scrap," or pieces of

blubber from which the oil had been boiled, some of which had been reserved from the previous voyage.

They burnt with a fierce and steady blaze, leaving but a trace of ash. I was then informed by one of the

harpooners that no other fuel was ever used for boiling blubber at any time, there being always amply

The most interesting part of the whole business, though, to us poor halfstarved wretches, was the plentiful

supply of fresh meat. Porpoise beef is, when decently cooked, fairly good eating to a landsman; judge, then,

what it must have been to us. Of course the titbits, such as the liver, kidneys, brains, etc., could not possibly

fall to our lot; but we did not complain, we were too thankful to get something eatable, and enough of it.

Moreover, although few sailors in English ships know it, porpoise beef improves vastly by keeping, getting

tenderer every day the longer it hangs, until at last it becomes as tasty a viand as one could wish to dine upon.

It was a good job for us that this was the case, for while the porpoises lasted the "harness casks," or salt beef

receptacles, were kept locked; so if any man had felt unable to eat porpoisewell, there was no compulsion,

We were now in the haunts of the Sperm Whale, or "Cachalot," a brilliant lookout being continually kept for

any signs of their appearing. One officer and a foremast hand were continually on watch during the day in the

main crow'snest, one harpooner and a seaman in the fore one. A bounty of ten pounds of tobacco was

offered to whoever should first report a whale, should it be secured, consequently there were no sleepy eyes

up there. Of course none of those who were inexperienced stood much chance against the eagleeyed

Portuguese; but all tried their best, in the hope of perhaps winning some little favour from their hard

taskmasters. Every evening at sunset it was "all hands shorten sail," the constant drill rapidly teaching even

these clumsy landsmen how to find their way aloft, and do something else besides hold on to anything like

At last, one beautiful day, the boats were lowered and manned, and away went the greenies on their first

practical lesson in the business of the voyage. As before noticed, there were two greenies in each boat, they

being so arranged that whenever one of them "caught a crab," which of course was about every other stroke,

his failure made little difference to the boat's progress. They learned very fast under the terrible imprecations

and storm of blows from the ironfisted and ironhearted officers, so that before the day was out the skipper

was satisfied of our ability to deal With a "fish" should he be lucky enough to "raise" one. I was, in virtue of

my experience, placed at the afteroar in the mate's boat, where it was my duty to attend to the "main sheet"

when the sail was set, where also I had the benefit of the lightest oar except the small one used by the

The very next day after our first exhaustive boat drill, a school of "Black Fish" was reported from aloft, with

The Black Fish (PHOCAENA SP.) is a small toothed whale, not at all unlike a miniature cachalot, except that

its head is rounded at the front, while its jaw is not long and straight, but bowed. It is as frolicsome as the

porpoise, gambolling about in schools of from twenty to fifty or more, as if really delighted to be alive. Its

average size is from ten to twenty feet long, and seven or eight feet in grirth, weight from one to three tons.

Blubber about three inches thick, while the head is almost all oil, so that a good rich specimen will make

The school we were now in sight of was of middling size and about average weight of individuals, and the

officers esteemed it a fortunate circumstance that we should happen across them as a sort of preliminary to

All the new harpoons were unshipped from the boats, and a couple of extra "second" irons, as those that have

been used are called, were put into each boat for use if wanted. The sails were also left on board. We lowered

and left the ship, pulling right towards the school, the noise they were making in their fun effectually

preventing them from hearing our approach. It is etiquette to allow the mate's boat first place, unless his crew

is so weak as to be unable to hold their own; but as the mate always has first pick of the men this seldom

happens. So, as usual, we were first, and soon I heard the order given, "Stand up, Louey, and let 'em have it!"

Sure enough, here we were right among them. Louis let, drive, "fastening" a whopper about twenty feet long.

The injured animal plunged madly forward, accompanied by his fellows, while Louis calmly bent another

iron to a "short warp," or piece of whaleline, the loose end of which he made a bowline with around the

main line which was fast to the "fish." Then he fastened another "fish," and the queer sight was seen of these

two monsters each trying to flee in opposite directions, while the second one ranged about alarmingly as his

"bridle" ran along the main line. another one was secured in the same way, then the game was indeed great.

The school had by this time taken the alarm and cleared out, but the other boats were all fast to fish, so that

didn't matter. Now, at the rate our "game" were going it would evidently be a long while before they died,

although, being so much smaller than a whale proper, a harpoon will often kill them at a stroke. Yet they

were now so tangled or "snarled erp," as the mate said, that it was no easy matter to lance them without great

danger of cutting the line. However, we hauled up as close to them as we dared, and the harpooner got a good

blow in, which gave the biggest of the three "Jesse," as he said, though why "Jesse" was a stumper. Anyhow,

it killed him promptly, while almost directly after another one saved further trouble by passing in his own

checks. But he sank at the same time, drawing the first one down with him, so that we were in considerable

danger of having to cut them adrift or be swamped. The "wheft " was waved thrice as an urgent signal to the

ship to come to our assistance with all speed, but in the meantime our interest lay in the surviving Black Fish

keeping alive. Should HE die, and, as was most probable, sink, we should certainly have to cut and lose the

We waited in grim silence while the ship came up, so slowly, apparently, that she hardly seemed to move, but

really at a good pace of about four knots an hour, which for her was not at all bad. She got alongside of us at

last, and we passed up the bight of our line, our fish all safe, very much pleased with ourselves, especially

The fish secured to the ship, all the boats were hoisted except one, which remained alongside to sling the

bodies. During our absence the shipkeepers had been busy rigging one of the cutting falls, an immense

fourfold tackle from the main lowermasthead, of fourinch rope through great double blocks, large as those

used at dockyards for lifting ships' masts and boilers. Chain slings were passed around the carcases, which

gripped the animal at the "small," being prevented from slipping off by the broad spread of the tail. The end

of the "fall," or tacklerope, was then taken to the windlass, and we hove away cheerily, lifting the monsters

right on deck. A mountainous pile they made. A short spell was allowed, when the whole eight were on

board, for dinner; then all hands turned to again to "flench" the blubber, and prepare for tryingout. This was

a heavy job, keeping all hands busy until it was quite dark, the latter part of the work being carried on by the

light of a "cresset," the flames of which were fed with "scrap," which blazed brilliantly, throwing a big glare

over all the ship. The last of the carcases was launched overboard by about eight o'clock that evening, but not

before some vast junks of beef had been cut off and hung up in the rigging for our food supply.

The tryworks were started again, "tryingout" going on busily all night, watch and watch taking their turn at

keeping the pots supplied with minced blubber. The work was heavy, while the energetic way in which it was

carried on made us all glad to take what rest was allowed us, which was scanty enough, as usual.

By nightfall the next day the ship had resumed her normal appearance, and we were a tun and a quarter of oil

to the good. Black Fish oil is of medium quality, but I learned that, according to the rule of "roguery in all

trades," it was the custom to mix quantities such as we had just obtained with better class whaleoil, and thus

Up till this time we had no sort of an idea as to where our first objective might be, but from scraps of

conversation I had overheard among the harpooners, I gathered that we were making for the Cape Verde

Islands or the Acores, in the vicinity of which a good number of moderatesized sperm whales are often to be

found. In fact, these islands have long been a nursery for whalefishers, because the cachalot loves their

steepto shores, and the hardy natives, whenever and wherever they can muster a boat and a little gear, are

always ready to sally forth and attack the unwary whale that ventures within their ken. Consequently more

than half of the total crews of the American whaling fleet are composed of these islanders. Many of them

have risen to the position of captain, and still more are officers and harpooners; but though undoubtedly brave

and enterprising, they are cruel and treacherous, and in positions of authority over men of Teutonic or

Nautical routine in its essential details is much the same in all ships, whether naval, merchant, or whaling

vessels. But while in the ordinary merchantman there are decidedly "no more cats than can catch mice,"

hardly, indeed, sufficient for all the mousing that should be done, in menofwar and whaleships the number

of hands carried, being far more than are wanted for everyday work, must needs be kept at unnecessary duties

For instance, in the CACHALOT we carried a crew of thirtyseven all told, of which twentyfour were men

before the mast, or common seamen, our tonnage being under 400 tons. Many a splendid clippership

carrying an enormous spread of canvas on four masts, and not overloaded with 2500 tons of cargo on board,

carries twentyeight or thirty all told, or even less than that. As far as we were concerned, the result of this

was that our landsmen got so thoroughly drilled, that within a week of leaving port they hardly knew

We had now been eight days out, and in our leisurely way were making fair progress across the Atlantic,

having had nothing, so far, but steady breezes and fine weather. As it was late autumn the first week in

OctoberI rather wondered at this, for even in my brief experience I had learned to dread a "fall" voyage

Gradually the face of the sky changed, and the feel of the air, from balmy and genial, became raw and

cheerless. The little wave tops broke short off and blew backwards, apparently against the wind, while the old

vessel had an uneasy, unnatural motion, caused by a long, new swell rolling athwart the existing set of the

sea. Then the wind became fitful and changeable, backing half round the compass, and veering forward again

as much in an hour, until at last in one tremendous squall it settled in the N.W. for a businesslike blow,

Unlike the hurried merchantman who must needs "hang on" till the last minute, only shortening the sail when

absolutely compelled to do so, and at the first sign of the gales relenting, piling it on again, we were all snug

long before the storm burst upon us, and now rode comfortably under the tiniest of storm staysails.

We were evidently in for a fair specimen of Western Ocean weather, but the clumsylooking, oldfashioned

CACHALOT made no more fuss over it than one of the longwinged seabirds that floated around, intent

only upon snapping up any stray scraps that might escape from us. Higher rose the wind, heavier rolled the

sea, yet never a drop of water did we ship, nor did anything about the deck betoken what, a heavy gale was

blowing. During the worst of the weather, and just after the wind had shifted back into the N.E., making an

uglier cross sea than ever get up, along comes an immense fourmasted iron ship homeward bound. She was

staggering under a veritable mountain of canvas, fairly burying her bows in the foam at every forward drive,

and actually wetting the clews of the upper topsails in the smothering masses of spray, that every few minutes

It was a splendid picture; butfor the timeI felt glad I was not on board of her. In a very few minutes she

was out of our ken, followed by the admiration of all. Then came, from the other direction, a huge steamship,

taking no more notice of the gale than as if it were calm. Straight through the sea she rushed, dividing the

mighty rollers to the heart, and often bestriding three seas at once, the centre one spreading its many tons of

foaming water fore and aft, so that from every orifice spouted the seething brine. Compared with these

greyhounds of the wave, we resembled nothing so much as some old lightship bobbing serenely around, as if

Our greenies were getting so well seasoned by this time that even this rough weather did not knock any of

them over, and from that time forward they had no more trouble from seasickness.

The gale gradually blew itself out, leaving behind only a long and very heavy swell to denote the

deepreaching disturbance that the ocean had endured. And now we were within the range of the Sargasso

Weed, that mysterious FUCUS that makes the ocean look. like some vast hayfield, and keeps the sea from

rising, no matter how high the wind. It fell a dead calm, and the harpooners amused themselves by dredging

up great masses of the weed, and turning out the many strange creatures abiding therein. What a world of

wonderful life the weed is, to be sure! In it the flying fish spawn and the tiny cuttlefish breed, both of them

preparing bounteous provision for the larger denizens of the deep that have no other food. Myriads of tiny

crabs and innumerable specimens of lessknown shellfish, small fish of species as yet unclassified in any

work on natural history, with jellyfish of every conceivable and inconceivable shape, form part of this great

and populous country in the sea. At one haul there was brought on board a mass of flyingfish spawn, about

ten pounds in weight, looking like nothing so much as a pile of ripe white currants, and clinging together in a

Such masses of ova I had often seen cast up among the outlying rocks on the shores of the Caribbean Sea,

when as a shipwrecked lad I wandered idly about unburying turtle eggs from their snug beds in the warm

While loitering in these smooth waters, waiting for the laggard wind, up came a shoal of dolphin, ready as at

all times to attach themselves for awhile to the ship. Nothing is more singular than the manner in which

deepsea fish will accompany a vessel that is not going too fastsometimes for days at a time. Most

convenient too, and providing hungry Jack with many a fresh mess he would otherwise have missed. Of all

these friendly fish, none is better known than the "dolphin," as from long usage sailors persist in calling them,

and will doubtless do so until the end of the chapter. For the true dolphin (DELPHINIDAE) is not a fish at

all, but a mammal a warmblooded creature that suckles its young, and in its most familiar form is known to

most people as the porpoise. The sailor's "dolphin," on the other hand, is a veritable fish, with vertical tail fin

instead of the horizontal one which distinguishes all the whale family, scales and gills.

It is well known to literature, under its seaname, for its marvellous brilliancy of colour, and there are few

objects more dazzling than a dolphin leaping out of a calm sea into the sunshine. The beauty of a dying

dolphin, however, though sanctioned by many generations of writers, is a delusion, all the glory of the fish

But this habit of digression grows upon one, and I must do my best to check it, or I shall never get through

To resume then: when this school of dolphin (I can't for the life of me call them CORIPHAENA HIPPURIS)

came alongside, a rush was made for the "granes"a sort of fivepronged trident, if I may be allowed a baby

bull. It was universally agreed among the fishermen that trying a hook and line was only waste of time and

provocative of profanity! since every sailor knows that all the deepwater big fish require a living or

apparently living bait. The fish, however, sheered off, and would not be tempted within reach of that deadly

fork by any lure. Then did I cover myself with glory. For he who can fish cleverly and luckily may be sure of

fairly good times in a whaler, although he may be no great things at any other work. I had a line of my own,

and begging one of the small fish that had been hauled up in the Gulf weed, I got permission to go aft and

fish over the taffrail. The little fish was carefully secured on the hook, the point of which just protruded near

his tail. Then I lowered him into the calm blue waters beneath, and paid out line very gently, until my bait

was a silvery spot about a hundred feet astern. Only a very short time, and my hopes rose as I saw one bright

gleam after another glide past the keel, heading aft. Then came a gentle drawing at the line, which I suffered

to slip slowly through my fingers until I judged it time to try whether I was right or wrong, A long hard pull,

and my heart beat fast as I felt the thrill along the line that fishermen love. None of your high art here, but

haul in hand over hand, the line being strong enough to land a 250 pound fish. Up he came, the beauty, all

silver and scarlet and blue, five feet long if an inch, and weighing 35 pounds. Well, such a lot of astonished

men I never saw. They could hardly believe their eyes. That such a daring innovation should be successful

was hardly to be believed, even with the vigorous evidence before them. Even grim Captain Slocum came to

look and turned upon me as I thought a less lowering brow than usual, while Mr. Count, the mate, fairly

chuckled again at the thought of how the little Britisher had wiped the eyes of these veteran fishermen. The

captive was cut open, and two recent flyingfish found in his maw, which were utilized for new bait, with the

result that there was a cheerful noise of hissing and spluttering in the galley soon after, and a mess of fish for

Shortly afterwards a fresh breeze sprang up, which proved to be the beginning of the N.E. trades, and fairly

Somehow or other it had leaked out that we were to cruise the Cape Verd Islands for a spell before working

south, and the knowledge seemed to have quite an enlivening effect upon our Portuguese shipmates.

Most of them belonged there, and although there was but the faintest prospect of their getting ashore upon

any pretext whatever, the possibility of seeing their island homes again seemed to quite transform them.

Hitherto they had been very moody and exclusive, never associating with us on the white side, or attempting

to be at all familiar. A mutual atmosphere of suspicion, in fact, seemed to pervade our quarters, making

things already uncomfortable enough, still more so. Now, however, they fraternized with us, and in a variety

of uncouth ways made havoc of the English tongue, as they tried to impress us with the beauty, fertility and

general incomparability of their beloved Cape Verds. Of the eleven white men besides myself in the

forecastle, there were a middleaged German baker, who had bolted from Buffalo; two Hungarians, who

looked like noblemen disguised in dirt; two slabsided Yankees of about 22 from farms in Vermont; a

drayman from New York; a French Canadian from the neighbourhood of Quebec; two Italians from Genoa;

and two nondescripts that I never found out the origin of. Imagine, then, the babel of sound, and thinkbut

no, it is impossible to think, what sort of a jargon was compounded of all these varying elements of language.

One fortunate thing, there was peace below. Indeed, the spirit seemed completely taken out of all of them,

and by some devilish ingenuity the afterguard had been able to sow distrust between them all, while treating

them like dogs, so that the miseries of their life were never openly discussed. My position among them gave

me at times some uneasiness. Though I tried to be helpful to all, and was full of sympathy for their

undeserved sufferings, I could not but feel that they would have been more than human had they not envied

me my immunity from the kicks and blows they all shared so impartially. However, there was no help for it,

A peculiarity of all these vessels, as I afterwards learned, was that no stated allowance of anything was made.

Even the water was not served out to us, but was kept in a great scuttlebutt by the cabin door, to which

every one who needed a drink had to go, and from which none might be carried away. No water was allowed

for washing except from the sea; and every one knows, or should know, that neither flesh nor clothes can be

cleansed with that. But a cask with a perforated top was lashed by the bowsprit and kept filled with urine,

which I was solemnly assured by Goliath was the finest dirtextractor in the world for clothes. The officers

did not avail themselves of its virtues though, but were content with ley, which was furnished in plenty by the

ashes from the galley fire, where nothing but wood was used as fuel. Of course when rain fell we might have

a good wash, if it was night and no other work was toward; but we were not allowed to store any for washing

purposes. Another curious but absolutely necessary custom prevailed in consequence of the short commons

under which we lived. When the portion of meat was brought down in its wooden kid, or tub, at dinnertime,

it was duly divided as fairly as possible into as many parts as there were mouths. Then one man turned his

back on the carver, who holding up each portion, called out, "Who's this for?" Whatever name was mentioned

by the arbitrator, that man owning it received the piece, and had perforce to be satisfied therewith. Thus

justice was done to all in the only way possible, and without any friction whatever.

As some of us were without clothes except what we stood upright in, when we joined, the "slop chest" was

opened, and every applicant received from the steward what Captain Slocum thought fit to let him have,

being debited with the cost against such wages as he might afterwards earn. The clothes were certainly of

fairly good quality, if the price was high, and exactly suited to our requirements. Soap, matches, and tobacco

were likewise supplied on the same terms, but at higher prices than I had ever heard of before for these

necessaries. After much careful inquiry I ascertained what, in the event of a successful voyage, we were

likely to earn. Each of us were on the two hundredth "lay" or share at $200 per tun, which meant that for

every two hundred barrels of oil taken on board, we were entitled to one, which we must sell to the ship at the

rate of L40 per tun or L4 per barrel. Truly a magnificent outlook for young men bound to such a business for

Simultaneous ideas occurring to several people, or thought transference, whatever one likes to call the

phenomenon is too frequent an occurrence in most of our experience to occasion much surprise. Yet on the

occasion to which I am about to refer, the matter was so very marked that few of us who took part in the day's

We were all gathered about the fo'lk'sle scuttle one evening, a few days after the gale referred to in the

previous chapter, and the question of whalefishing came up for discussion. Until that time, strange as it may

seem, no word of this, the central idea of all our minds, had been mooted. Every man seemed to shun the

subject, although we were in daily expectation of being called upon to take an active part in whalefighting.

Once the ice was broken, nearly all had something to say about it, and very nearly as many addleheaded

opinions were ventilated as at a Colney Hatch debating society. For we none of us KNEW anything about it. I

was appealed to continually to support this or that theory, but as far as whaling went I could only, like the rest

of them, draw upon my imagination for details. How did a whale act, what were the first steps taken, what

chance was there of being saved if your boat got smashed, and so on unto infinity. At last, getting very tired

of this "Portugee Parliament" of all talkers and no listeners, I went aft to get a drink of water before turning

in. The harpooners and other petty officers were grouped in the waist, earnestly discussing the pros and cons

of attack upon whales. As I passed I heard the mate's harpooner say, "Feels like whale about. I bet a plug (of

tobacco) we raise sperm whale tomorrow." Nobody took his bet, for it appeared that they were mostly of the

same mind, and while I was drinking I heard the officers in dignified conclave talking over the same thing. It

was Saturday evening, and while at home people were looking forward to a day's respite from work and care,

I felt that the coming day, though never taken much notice of on board, was big with the probabilities of strife

such as I at least had at present no idea of. So firmly was I possessed by the prevailing feeling.

The night was very quiet. A gentle breeze was blowing, and the sky was of the usual "Trade" character, that

is, a dome of dark blue fringed at the horizon with peaceful cumulus clouds, almost motionless. I turned in at

four a.m. from the middle watch and, as usual, slept like a babe. Suddenly I started wide awake, a long

mournful sound sending a thrill to my very heart. As I listened breathlessly other sounds of the same

character but in different tones joined in, human voices monotonously intoning in long drawnout expirations

the single word "bloooow." Then came a hurricane of noise overhead, and adjurations in no gentle

language to the sleepers to "tumble up lively there, no skulking, sperm whales." At last, then, fulfilling all the

presentiments of yesterday, the long dreaded moment had arrived. Happily there was no time for hesitation,

in less than two minutes we were all on deck, and hurrying to our respective boats. There was no flurry or

confusion, and except that orders were given more quietly than usual, with a manifest air of suppressed

excitement, there was nothing to show that we were not going for an ordinary course of boat drill. The

skipper was in the main crow'snest with his binoculars presently he shouted, "Naow then, Mr. Count, lower

away soon's y'like. Small pod o'cows, an' one'r two bulls layin' off to west'ard of 'em." Down went the boats

into the water quietly enough, we all scrambled in and shoved off. A stroke or two of the oars were given to

get clear of the ship, and one another, then oars were shipped and up went the sails. As I took my allotted

place at the mainsheet, and the beautiful craft started off like some big bird, Mr. Count leant forward, saying

impressively to me, "Y'r a smart youngster, an' I've kinder took t'yer; but don't ye look ahead an' get gallied, 'r

I'll knock ye stiff wi' th' tiller; y'hear me? N' don't ye dare to make thet sheet fast, 'r ye'll die so sudden y'

won't know whar y'r hurted." I said as cheerfully as I could, "All right, sir," trying to look unconcerned,

telling myself not to be a coward, and all sorts of things; but the cold truth is that I was scared almost to death

because I didn't know what was coming. However, I did the best thing under the circumstances, obeyed

orders and looked steadily astern, or up into the bronzed impassive face of my chief, who towered above me,

scanning with eagle eyes the sea ahead. The other boats were coming flying along behind us, spreading wider

apart as they came, while in the bows of each stood the harpooner with his right hand on his first iron, which

All of a sudden, at a motion of the chief's hand, the peak of our mainsail was dropped, and the boat swung up

into the wind, laying "hove to," almost stationary. The centreboard was lowered to stop her drifting to

leeward, although I cannot say it made much difference that ever I saw. NOW what's the matter, I thought,

when to my amazement the chief addressing me said, "Wonder why we've hauled up, don't ye?" "Yes, sir, I

do," said I. "Wall," said he, "the fish hev sounded, an' 'ef we run over 'em, we've seen the last ov'em. So we

wait awhile till they rise agin, 'n then we'll prob'ly git thar' 'r thareabonts before they sound agin." With this

explanation I had to be content, although if it be no clearer to my readers than it then was to me, I shall have

to explain myself more fully later on. Silently we lay, rocking lazily upon the gentle swell, no other word

being spoken by any one. At last Louis, the harpooner, gently breathed "blooow;" and there, sure enough,

not half a mile away on the lee beam, was a little bushy cloud of steam apparently rising from the sea. At

almost the same time as we kept away all the other boats did likewise, and just then, catching sight of the

ship, the reason for this apparently concerted action was explained. At the main mast head of the ship was a

square blue flag, and the ensign at the peak was being dipped. These were signals well understood and

promptly acted upon by those in charge of the boats, who were thus guided from a point of view at least one

"Stand up, Louey," the mate murmured softly. I only just stopped myself in time from turning my head to see

why the order was given. Suddenly there was a bump, at the same moment the mate yelled, "Give't to him,

Louey, give't to him!" and to me, "Haul that main sheet, naow haul, why don't ye?" I hauled it flat aft, and the

boat shot up into the wind, rubbing sides as she did so with what to my troubled sight seemed an enormous

mass of black indiarubber floating. As we CRAWLED up into the wind, the whale went into convulsions

befitting his size and energy. He raised a gigantic tail on high, threshing the water with deafening blows,

rolling at the same time from side to side until the surrounding sea was white with froth. I felt in an agony

lest we should be crushed under one of those fearful strokes, for Mr. Count appeared to be oblivious of

possible danger, although we seemed to be now drifting back on to the writhing leviathan. In the agitated

condition of the sea, it was a task of no ordinary difficulty to unship the tall mast, which was of course the

first thing to be done. After a desperate struggle, and a narrow escape from falling overboard of one of the

men, we got the lone "stick," with the sail bundled around it, down and "fleeted" aft, where it was secured by

the simple means of sticking the "heel" under the after thwart, twothirds of the mast extending out over the

stern. Meanwhile, we had certainly been in a position of the greatest danger, our immunity from damage

By the time the oars were handled, and the mate had exchanged places with the harpooner, our friend the

enemy had "sounded," that is, he had gone below for a change of scene, marvelling no doubt what strange

thing had befallen him. Agreeably to the accounts which I, like most boys, had read of the whale fishery, I

looked for the rushing of the line round the loggerhead (a stout wooden post built into the boat aft), to raise

a cloud of smoke with occasional bursts of flame; so as it began to slowly surge round the post, I timidly

asked the harpooner whether I should throw any water on it. "Wot for?" growled he, as he took a couple more

turns with it. Not knowing "what for," and hardly liking to quote my authorities here, I said no more, but

waited events. "Hold him up, Louey, bold him up, cain't ye?" shouted the mate, and to my horror, down went

the nose of the boat almost under water, while at the mate's order everybody scrambled aft into the elevated

The line sang quite a tune as it was grudgingly allowed to surge round the loggerhead, filling one with

admiration at the strength shown by such a small rope. This sort of thing went on for about twenty minutes, in

which time we quite emptied the large tub and began on the small one. As there was nothing whatever for us

to do while this was going on, I had ample leisure for observing the little game that was being played about a

quarter of a mile away. Mr. Cruce, the second mate, had got a whale and was doing his best to kill it; but he

was severely handicapped by his crew, or rather had been, for two of them were now temporarily incapable

of either good or harm. They had gone quite "batchy" with fright, requiring a not too gentle application of the

tiller to their heads in order to keep them quiet. The remedy, if rough, was effectual, for "the subsequent

proceedings interested them no more." Consequently his manoeuvres were not so well or rapidly executed as

he, doubtless, could have wished, although his energy in lancing that whale was something to admire and

remember. Hatless, his shirt tail out of the waist of his trousers streaming behind him like a banner, he lunged

and thrust at the whale alongside of him, as if possessed of a destroying devil, while his half articulate yells

Suddenly our boat fell backward from her "slantindicular" position with a jerk, and the mate immediately

shouted, "Haul line, there! look lively, now, youso on, etcetera, etcetera" (he seemed to invent new

epithets on every occasion). The line came in hand over hand, and was coiled in a wide heap in the stern

sheets, for silky as it was, it could not be expected in its wet state to lie very close. As it came flying in the

mate kept a close gaze upon the water immediately beneath us, apparently for the first glimpse of our

antagonist. When the whale broke water, however, he was some distance off, and apparently as quiet as a

lamb. Now, had Mr. Count been a prudent or less ambitious man, our task would doubtless have been an easy

one, or comparatively so; but, being a little overgrasping, he got us all into serious trouble. We were hauling

up to our whale in order to lance it, and the mate was standing, lance in hand, only waiting to get near

enough, when up comes a large whale right alongside of our boat, so close, indeed, that I might have poked

my finger in his little eye, if I had chosen. The sight of that whale at liberty, and calmly taking stock of us

like that, was too much for the mate. He lifted his lance and hurled it at the visitor, in whose broad flank it

sank, like a knife into butter, right up to the polehitches. The recipient disappeared like a flash, but before

one had time to think, there was an awful crash beneath us, and the mate shot up into the air like a bomb from

a mortar. He came down in a sitting posture on the mastthwart; but as he fell, the whole framework of the

boat collapsed like a derelict umbrella. Louis quietly chopped the line and severed our connection with the

other whale, while in accordance with our instructions we drew each man his oar across the boat and lashed it

firmly down with a piece of line spliced to each thwart for the purpose. This simple operation took but a

minute, but before it was completed we were all up to our necks in the sea. Still in the boat, it is true, and

therefore not in such danger of drowning as if we were quite adrift; but, considering that the boat was reduced

to a mere bundle of loose planks, I, at any rate, was none too comfortable. Now, had he known it, was the

whale's golden opportunity; but he, poor wretch, had had quite enough of our company, and cleared off

without any delay, wondering, no doubt, what fortunate accident had rid him of our very unpleasant

I was assured that we were all as safe as if we were on board the ship, to which I answered nothing; but, like

Jack's parrot, I did some powerful thinking. Every little wave that came along swept clean over our heads,

sometimes coming so suddenly as to cut a breath in half. If the wind should increasebut noI wouldn't

face the possibility of such a disagreeable thing. I was cool enough now in a double sense, for although we

By the position of the sun it must have been between ten a.m. and noon, and we, of the crew, had eaten

nothing since the previous day at supper, when, as usual, the meal was very light. Therefore, I suppose we

felt the chill sooner than the better nourished mate and harpooner, who looked rather scornfully at our blue

In spite of all assurances to the contrary, I have not the least doubt in my own mind that a very little longer

would have relieved us of ALL our burdens finally. Because the heave of the sea had so loosened the

shattered planks upon which we stood that they were on the verge of falling all asunder. Had they done so we

must have drowned, for we were cramped and stiff with cold and our constrained position. However,

unknown to us, a bright look out upon our movements had been kept from the crow'snest the whole time.

We should have been relieved long before, but that the whale killed by the second mate was being secured,

and another boat, the fourth mate's, being picked up, having a hole in her bilge you could put you head

through. With all these hindrances, especially securing the whale, we were fortunate to be rescued as soon as

we were, since it is well known that whales are of much higher commercial value than men.

However, help came at last, and we were hauled alongside. Long exposure had weakened us to such an extent

that it was necessary to hoist us on board, especially the mate, whose "sudden stop," when he returned to us

after his little aerial excursion, had shaken his sturdy frame considerably, a state of body which the

subsequent soaking had by no means improved. In my innocence I imagined that we should be commiserated

for our misfortunes by Captain Slocum, and certainly be relieved from further duties until we were a little

recovered from the rough treatment we had just undergone. But I never made a greater mistake. The skipper

cursed us all (except the mate, whoso sole fault the accident undoubtedly was) with a fluency and vigour that

was, to put it mildly, discouraging. Moreover, we were informed that he "wouldn't have no adjective

skulking;" we must "turn to" and do something after wasting the ship's time and property in such a blanked

manner. There was a limit, however, to our obedience, so although we could not move at all for awhile, his

A couple of slings were passed around the boat, by means of which she was carefully hoisted on board, a

mere dilapidated bundle of sticks and raffle of gear. She was at once removed aft out of the way, the business

of cutting in the whale claiming precedence over everything else just then. The preliminary proceedings

consisted of rigging the "cutting stage." This was composed of two stout planks a foot wide and ten feet long,

the inner ends of which were suspended by strong ropes over the ship's side about four feet from the water,

while the outer extremities were upheld by tackles from the main rigging, and a small crane abreast the

These planks were about thirty feet apart, their two outer ends being connected by a massive plank which was

securely bolted to them. A handrail about as high as a man's waist, supported by light iron stanchions, ran the

full length of this plank on the side nearest the ship, the whole fabric forming an admirable standingplace

from whence the officers might, standing in comparative comfort, cut and carve at the great mass below to

So far the prize had been simply held alongside by the whale line, which at death had been "rove" through a

hole cut in the solid gristle of the tail; but now it became necessary to secure the carcase to the ship in some

more permanent fashion. Therefore, a massive chain like a small ship's cable was brought forward, and in a

very ingenious way, by means of a tiny buoy and a handlead, passed round the body, one end brought

through a ring in the other, and hauled upon until it fitted tight round the "small" or part of the whale next the

broad spread of the tail. The free end of the flukechain was then passed in through a mooringpipe forward,

firmly secured to a massive bitt at the heel of the bowsprit (the flukechainbitt), and all was ready.

But the subsequent proceedings were sufficiently complicated to demand a fresh chapter.

If in the preceding chapter too much stress has been laid upon the smashing of our own boat and consequent

sufferings, while little or no notice was taken of the kindred disaster to Mistah Jones' vessel, my excuse must

be that the experience "filled me right up to the chin," as the mate concisely, if inelegantly, put it. Poor

Goliath was indeed to be pitied, for his wellknown luck and capacity as a whaleman seemed on this

occasion to have quite deserted him. Not only had his boat been stove upon first getting on to the whale, but

he hadn't even had a run for his money. It appeared that upon striking his whale, a small, lively cow, she had

at once "settled," allowing the boat to run over her; but just as they were passing, she rose, gently enough, her

pointed hump piercing the thin skin of halfinch cedar as if it had been cardboard. She settled again

immediately, leaving a hole behind her a foot long by six inches wide, which effectually put a stop to all

further fishing operations on the part of Goliath and his merry men for that day, at any rate. It was all so

quiet, and so tame and so stupid, no wonder Mistah Jones felt savage. When Captain Slocum's fluent

profanity flickered around him, including vehemently all he might be supposed to have any respect for, he did

not even LOOK as if he would like to talk back; he only looked sick and tired of being himself.

The third mate, again, was of a different category altogether. He had distinguished himself by missing every

opportunity of getting near a whale while there was a "loose" one about, and then "saving" the crew of

Goliath's boat, who were really in no danger whatever. His iniquity was too great to be dealt with by mere

bad language. He crept about like a homeless dogmuch, I am afraid, to my secret glee, for I couldn't help

In consequence of these little drawbacks we were not a very jovial crowd forrard or aft. Not that hilarity was

ever particularly noticeable among us, but just now there was a very decided sense of wrongdoing over us

all, and a general fear that each of us was about to pay the penalty due to some other delinquent. But

fortunately there was work to be done. Oh, blessed work! how many awkward situations you have extricated

people from! How many distracted brains have you soothed and restored, by your steady irresistible pressure

The first thing to be done was to cut the whale's head off. This operation, involving the greatest amount of

labour in the whole of the cutting in, was taken in hand by the first and second mates, who, armed with

twelvefeet spades, took their station upon the stage, leaned over the handrail to steady themselves, and

plunged their weapons vigorously down through the massive neck of the animalif neck it could be said to

havefollowing a welldefined crease in the blubber. At the same time the other officers passed a heavy

chain sling around the long, narrow lower jaw, hooking one of the big cutting tackles into it, the "fall" of

which was then taken to the windlass and hove tight, turning the whale on her back. A deep cut was then

made on both sides of the rising jaw, the windlass was kept going, and gradually the whole of the throat was

raised high enough for a hole to be cut through its mass, into which the strap of the second cutting tackle was

inserted and secured by passing a huge toggle of oak through its eye. The second tackle was then hove taut,

and the jaw, with a large piece of blubber attached, was cut off from the body with a boardingknife, a tool

Upon being severed the whole piece swung easily inboard and was lowered on deck. The fast tackle was now

hove upon while the third mate on the stage cut down diagonally into the blubber on the body, which the

purchase ripped off in a broad strip or "blanket" about five feet wide and a foot thick. Meanwhile the other

two officers carved away vigorously at the head, varying their labours by cutting a hole right through the

snout. This when completed received a heavy chain for the purpose of securing the head. When the blubber

had been about half stripped off the body, a halt was called in order that the work of cutting off the head

might be finished, for it was a task of incredible difficulty. It was accomplished at last, and the mass floated

astern by a stout rope, after which the windlass pawls clattered merrily, the "blankets " rose in quick

succession, and were cut off and lowered into the square of the main batch or "blubber room." A short time

sufficed to strip off the whole of the body blubber, and when at last the tail was reached, the backbone was

cut through, the huge mass of flesh floating away to feed the innumerable scavengers of the sea. No sooner

was the last of the blubber lowered into the hold than the hatches were put on and the head hauled up

alongside. Both tackles were secured to it and all hands took to the windlass levers. This was a small cow

whale of about thirty barrels, that is, yielding that amount of oil, so it was just possible to lift the entire head

on board; but as it weighed as much as three fullgrown elephants, it was indeed a heavy lift for even our

united forces, trying our tackle to the utmost. The weather was very fine, and the ship rolled but little; even

then, the strain upon the mast was terrific, and right glad was I when at last the immense cube of fat, flesh,

As soon as it was secured the work of dividing it began. From the snout a triangular mass was cut, which was

more than half pure spermaceti. This substance was contained in spongy cells held together by layers of

dense white fibre, exceedingly tough and elastic, and called by the whalers "whitehorse." The whole mass,

or "junk" as it is called, was hauled away to the ship's side and firmly lashed to the bulwarks for the time

being, so that it might not "take charge" of the deck during the rest of the operations.

The upper part of the head was now slit open lengthwise, disclosing an oblong cistern or "case" full of liquid

spermaceti, clear as water. This was baled out with buckets into a tank, concreting as it cooled into a

waxlike substance, bland and tasteless. There being now nothing more remaining about the skull of any

value, the lashings were loosed, and the first leeward roll sent the great mass plunging overboard with a

mighty splash. It sank like a stone, eagerly followed by a few small sharks that were hovering near.

As may be imagined, much oil was running about the deck, for so saturated was every part of the creature

with it that it really gushed like water during the cuttingup process. None of it was allowed to run to waste,

though, for the scupperholes which drain the deck were all carefully plugged, and as soon as the "junk" had

been dissected all the oil was carefully "squeegeed" up and poured into the trypots.

Two men were now told off as "blubberroom men," whose duty it became to go below, and squeezing

themselves in as best they could between the greasy masses of fat, cut it up into "horse pieces" about

eighteen inches long and six inches square. Doing this they became perfectly saturated with oil, as if they had

taken a bath in a tank of it; for as the vessel rolled it was impossible to maintain a footing, and every fall was

upon blubber running with oil. A machine of wonderful construction had been erected on deck in a kind of

shallow trough about six feet long by four feet wide and a foot deep. At some remote period of time it had no

doubt been looked upon as a triumph of ingenuity, a patent mincing machine. Its action was somewhat like

that of a chaffcutter, except that the knife was not attached to the wheel, and only rose and fell, since it was

not required to cut right through the "horsepieces" with which it was fed. It will be readily understood that

in order to get the oil quickly out of the blubber, it needs to be sliced as thin as possible, but for convenience

in handling the refuse (which is the only fuel used) it is not chopped up in small pieces, but every

"horsepiece" is very deeply scored as it were, leaving a thin strip to hold the slices together. This then was

the order of work. Two harpooners attended the trypots, replenishing them with minced blubber from the

hopper at the port side, and baling out the sufficiently boiled oil into the great cooling tank on the starboard.

One officer superintended the mincing, another exercised a general supervision over all. There was no man at

the wheel and no lookout, for the vessel was "hoveto" under two closereefed topsails and

foretopmaststaysail, with the wheel lashed hard down. A lookout man was unnecessary, since we could

not run, anybody down, and if anybody ran us down, it would only be because all hands were asleep, for the

glare of our tryworks fire, to say nothing of the blazing cresset before mentioned, could have been seen for

many miles. So we toiled watch and watch, six hours on and six off, the work never ceasing for an instant

night or day. Though the work was hard and dirty, and the discomfort of being so continually wet through

with oil great, there was only one thing dangerous about the whole business. That was the job of filling and

shifting the huge casks of oil. Some of these were of enormous size, containing 350 gallons when full, and

the work of moving them about the greasy deck of a rolling ship was attended with a terrible amount of risk.

For only four men at most could get fair hold of a cask, and when she took it into her silly old hull to start

rolling, just as we had got one halfway across the deck, with nothing to grip your feet, and the knowledge

that one stumbling man would mean a sudden slide of the ton and a half weight, and a little heap of mangled

corpses somewhere in the lee scuppers well one always wanted to be very thankful when the lashings were

The whale being a small one, as before noted, the whole business was over within three days, and the decks

scrubbed and re scrubbed until they had quite regained their normal whiteness. The oil was poured by

means of a funnel and long canvas hose into the casks stowed in the ground tier at the bottom of the ship, and

the gear, all carefully cleaned and neatly "stopped up," stowed snugly away below again.

This long and elaborate process is quite different from that followed on board the Arctic whaleships, whose

voyages are of short duration, and who content themselves with merely cutting the blubber up small and

bringing it home to have the oil expressed. But the awful putrid mass discharged from a Greenlander's hold is

of very different quality and value, apart from the nature of the substance, to the clear and sweet oil, which

after three years in cask is landed from a southseaman as inoffensive in smell and flavour as the day it was

shipped. No attempt is made to separate the oil and spermaceti beyond boiling the "head matter," as it is

called, by itself first, and putting it into casks which are not filled up with the body oil. Spermaceti exists in

all the oil, especially that from the dorsal hump; but it is left for the refiners ashore to extract and leave the oil

quite free from any admixture of the waxlike substance, which causes it to become solid at temperatures

Uninteresting as the preceding description may be, it is impossible to understand anything of the economy of

a southsea whaler without giving it, and I have felt it the more necessary because of the scanty notice given

to it in the only two works published on the subject, both of them highly technical, and written for scientific

purposes by medical men. Therefore I hope to be forgiven if I have tried the patience of my readers by any

It will not, of course, have escaped the reader's notice that I have not hitherto attempted to give any details

concerning the structure of the whale just dealt with. The omission is intentional. During this, our first

attempt at real whaling, my mind was far too disturbed by the novelty and danger of the position in which I

found myself for the first time, for me to pay any intelligent attention to the party of the second part.

But I may safely promise that from the workman's point of view, the habits, manners, and build of the whales

shall be faithfully described as I saw them during my long acquaintance with them, earnestly hoping that if

my story be not as technical or scientific as that of Drs. Bennett and Beale, it may be found fully as accurate

and reliable; and perhaps the reader, being like myself a mere layman, so to speak, may be better able to

Two things I did notice on this occasion which I will briefly allude to before closing this chapter. One was the

peculiar skin of the whale. It was a bluishblack, and as thin as gold beater's skin. So thin, indeed, and

tender, that it was easily scraped off with the fingernail. Immediately beneath it, upon the surface of the

blubber, was a layer or coating of what for want of a better simile I must call fine short fur, although unlike

fur it had no roots or apparently any hold upon the blubber. Neither was it attached to the skin which covered

it; in fact, it seemed merely a sort of packing between the skin and the surface of the thick layer of solid fat

which covered the whole area of the whale's body. The other matter which impressed me was the peculiarity

of the teeth. For up till that time I had held, in common with most seamen, and landsmen, too, for that matter,

the prevailing idea that a "whale" lived by "suction" (although I did not at all know what that meant), and that

it was impossible for him to swallow a herring. Yet here was a mouth manifestly intended for greater things

in the way of gastronomy than herrings; nor did it require more than the most casual glances to satisfy one of

so obvious a fact. Then the teeth were heroic in size, protruding some four or five inches from the gum, and

solidly set more than that into its firm and compact substance. They were certainly not intended for

mastication, being, where thickest, three inches apart, and tapering to a short point, curving slightly

backwards. In this specimen, a female, and therefore small as I have said, there were twenty of them on each

side, the last three or four near the gullet being barely visible above the gum.

Another most convincing reason why no mastication could have been possible was that there were no teeth

visible in the upper jaw. Opposed to each of the teeth was a socket where a tooth should apparently have

been, and this was conclusive evidence of the soft and yielding nature of the great creature's food. But there

were signs that at some period of the development of the whale it had possessed a double row of teeth,

because at the bottom of these upper sockets we found in a few cases what seemed to be an abortive tooth,

not one that was growing, because they had no roots, but a survival of teeth that had once been perfect and

useful, but from disuse, or lack of necessity for them, had gradually ceased to come to maturity. The interior

of the mouth and throat was of a livid white, and the tongue was quite small for so large an animal. It was

almost incapable of movement, being somewhat like a fowl's. Certainly it could not have been protruded even

from the angle of the mouth, much less have extended along the parapet of that lower mandible, which

Whether our recent experience had altered the captain's plans or not I do not know, but much to the dismay of

the Portuguese portion of the crew, we did but sight, dimly and afar off, the outline of the Cape Verde Islands

before our course was altered, and we bore away for the southward like any other outward bounder. That is,

as far as our course went; but as to the speed, we still retained the leisurely tactics hitherto pursued,

shortening sail every night, and, if the weather was very fine, setting it all again at daybreak.

The morose and sullen temper of the captain had been, if anything, made worse by recent events, and we

were worked as hard as if the success of the voyage depended upon our ceaseless toil of scrubbing, scraping,

and polishing. Discipline was indeed maintained at a high pitch of perfection, no man daring to look awry,

much less complain of any hardship, however great. Even this humble submissiveness did not satisfy our

tyrant, and at last his cruelty took a more active shape. One of the long Yankee farmers from Vermont, Abner

Cushing by name, with the ingenuity which seems inbred in his 'cute countrymen, must needs try his hand at

making a villainous decoction which he called "beer," the principal ingredients in which were potatoes and

molasses. Now potatoes formed no part of our dietary, so Abner set his wits to work to steal sufficient for his

purpose, and succeeded so far that he obtained half a dozen. I have very little doubt that one of the

Portuguese in the forecastle conveyed the information aft for some reason best known to himself, any more

than we white men all had that in a similar manner all our sayings and doings, however trivial, became at

once known to the officers. However, the fact that the theft was discovered soon became painfully evident,

for we had a visit from the afterguard in force one afternoon, and Abner with his brewage was haled to the

quarterdeck. There, in the presence of all hands, he was arraigned, found guilty of stealing the ship's stores,

and sentence passed upon him. By means of two small pieces of fishing line he was suspended by his thumbs

in the weather rigging, in such a manner that when the ship was upright his toes touched the deck, but when

she rolled his whole weight hung from his thumbs. This of itself one would have thought sufficient torture for

almost any offence, but in addition to it he received two dozen lashes with an improvised cato'nine tails,

laid on by the brawny arm of one of the harpooners. We were all compelled to witness this, and our feelings

may be imagined. When, after what seemed a terribly long time to me (Heaven knows what it must have been

to him!), he fainted, although no chicken I nearly fainted too, from conflicting emotions of sympathy and

He was then released in leisurely fashion, and we were permitted to take him forward and revive him. As

soon as he was able to stand on his feet, he was called on deck again, and not allowed to go below till his

watch was over. Meanwhile Captain Slocum improved the occasion by giving us a short harangue, the burden

of which was that we had now seen a LITTLE of what any of us might expect if we played any "dog's tricks"

on him. But you can get used to anything, I suppose: so after the first shock of the atrocity was over, things

For the first and only time in my experience, we sighted St. Paul's Rocks, a tiny group of jagged peaks

protruding from the Atlantic nearly on the Equator. Stupendous mountains they must be, rising almost sheer

for about four and a half miles from the ocean bed. Although they appear quite insignificant specks upon the

vast expanse of water, one could not help thinking how sublime their appearance would be were they visible

from the plateau whence they spring. Their chief interest to us at the time arose from the fact that, when

within about three miles of them, we were suddenly surrounded by a vast school of bonito, These fish,

sonamed by the Spaniards from their handsome appearance, are a species of mackerel, a branch of the

SCOMBRIDAE family, and attain a size of about two feet long and forty pounds weight, though their

average dimensions are somewhat less than half that. They feed entirely upon flyingfish and the small

leaping squid or cuttlefish, but love to follow a ship, playing around her, if her pace be not too great, for

days together. Their flesh resembles beef in appearance, and they are warm blooded; but, from their habitat

being midocean, nothing is known with any certainty of their habits of breeding.

The orthodox method of catching them on board ship is to cover a suitable hook with a piece of white rag a

couple of inches long, and attach it to a stout line. The fisherman then takes his seat upon the jibboom end,

having first, if he is prudent, secured a sack to the jibstay in such a manner that its mouth gapes wide. Then

he unrolls his line, and as the ship forges ahead the line, blowing out, describes a curve, at the end of which

the bait, dipping tothe water occasionally, roughly represents a flying fish. Of course, the faster the ship

is going, the better the chance of deceiving the fish, since they have less time to study the appearance of the

bait. It is really an exaggerated and clumsy form of flyfishing, and, as with that elegant pastime, much is

As the bait leaps from crest to crest of the wavelets thrust aside by the advancing ship, a fish more

adventurous or hungrier than the rest will leap at it, and in an instant there is a dead, dangling weight of from

ten to forty pounds hanging at the end of your line thirty feet below. You haul frantically, for he may be

poorly hooked, and you cannot play him. In a minute or two, if all goes well, he is plunged in the sack, and

safe. But woe unto you if you have allowed the jeers of your shipmates to dissuade you from taking a sack

The struggles of these fish are marvellous, and a man runs great risk of being shaken off the boom, unless his

legs are firmly locked in between the guys. Such is the tremendous vibration that a twentypound bonito

makes in a man's grip, that it can be felt in the cabin at the other and of the ship; and I have often come in

triumphantly with one, having lost all feeling in my arms and a goodly portion of skin off my breast and side,

where I have embraced the prize in a grim determination to hold him at all hazards, besides being literally

Like all our fishing operations on board the CACHALOT, this day's fishing was conducted on scientific

principles, and resulted in twentyfive fine fish being shipped, which were a welcome addition to our scanty

allowance. Happily for us, they would not take the salt in that sultry latitude soon enough to preserve them;

for, when they can be salted, they become like brine itself, and are quite unfit for food. Yet we should have

been compelled to eat salt bonito, or go without meat altogether, if it had been possible to cure them.

We were now fairly in the "horse latitudes," and, much to our relief, the rain came down in occasional

deluges, permitting us to wash well and often. I suppose the rains of the tropics have been often enough

described to need no meagre attempts of mine to convey an idea of them; yet I have often wished I could

make homekeeping friends understand how far short what they often speak of as a "tropical shower" falls of

the genuine article. The nearest I can get to it is the idea of an ocean suspended overhead, out, of which the

bottom occasionally falls. Nothing is visible or audible but the glare and roar of falling water, and a ship's

deck, despite the many outlets, is full enough to swim about in in a very few minutes. At such times the

whole celestial machinery of rainmaking may be seen in full working order. Five or six mighty waterspouts

in various stages of development were often within easy distance of us; once, indeed, we watched the birth,

growth, and death of one less than a mile away. First, a big, black cloud, even among that great assemblage of

NIMBI, began to belly downward, until the centre of it tapered into a stem, and the whole mass looked like a

vast, irregularlymoulded funnel. Lower and lower it reached, as if feeling for a soil in which to grow, until

the sea beneath was agitated sympathetically, rising at last in a sort of pointed mound to meet the descending

column. Our nearness enabled us to see that both descending and rising parts were whirling violently in

obedience to some invisible force, and when they had joined each other, although the spiral motion did not

appear to continue, the upward rush of the water through what was now a long elastic tube was very plainly

to be seen. The cloud overhead grew blacker and bigger, until its gloom was terrible. The pipe, or stem, got

thinner gradually, until it became a mere thread; nor, although watching closely, could we determine when

the connection between sea and sky ceasedone could not call it severed. The point rising from the sea

settled almost immediately amidst a small commotion, as of a whirlpool. The tail depending from the cloud

slowly shortened, and the mighty reservoir lost the vast bulge which had hung so threateningly above. Just

before the final disappearance of the last portion of the tube, a fragment of cloud appeared to break off. It fell

near enough to show by its thundering roar what a body of water it must have been, although it looked like a

For whole days and nights together we sometimes lay almost "as idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean,"

when the deep blue dome above matched the deep blue plain below, and never a fleck of white appeared in

sky or sea. This perfect stop to our progress troubled none, although it aggravates a merchant skipper terribly.

As for the objects of our search, they had apparently all migrated otherwhither, for never a sign of them did

we see. Finbacks, a species of rorqual, were always pretty numerous, and as if they knew how useless they

were to us, came and played around like exaggerated porpoises. One in particular kept us company for

several days and nights. We knew him well, from a great triangular scar on his right side, near the dorsal fin.

Sometimes be would remain motionless by the side of the ship, a few feet below the surface, as distinctly in

our sight as a gold fish in a parlour globe; or he would go under the keel, and gently chafe his broad back to

and fro along it, making queer tremors run through the vessel, as if she were scraping over a reef. Whether

from superstition or not I cannot tell, but I never saw any creature injured out of pure wantonness, except

sharks, while I was on board the CACHALOT. Of course, injuries to men do not count. Had that finback

attempted to play about a passenger ship in such a fashion, all the loungers on board would have been

popping at him with their revolvers and rifles without ever a thought of compunction; yet here, in a vessel

whose errand was whalefishing, a whale enjoyed perfect immunity. It was very puzzling. At last my

curiosity became too great to hear any longer, and I sought my friend Mistah Jones at what I considered a

favourable opportunity. I found him very gracious and communicative, and I got such a lecture on the natural

history of the cetacea as I have never forgottenthe outcome of a quarter century's experience of them, and

afterwards proved by me to be correct in every detail, which latter is a great deal more than can be said of any

written natural history that ever I came across. But I will not go into that now. Leaning over the rail, with the

great rorqual laying perfectly still a few feet below, I was told to mark how slender and elegant were his

proportions. "Clipperbuilt," my Mentor termed him. He was full seventy feet long, but his greatest diameter

would not reach ten feet. His snout was long and pointed, while both top and bottom of his head were nearly

flat. When he came up to breathe, which he did out of the top of his head, he showed us that, instead of teeth,

he had a narrow fringe of baleen (whalebone) all around his upper jaws, although "I kaint see whyfor, kase he

lib on all sort er fish, s'long's dey ain't too big. I serpose w'en he kaint get nary fish he do de same ez de

'bowhead'go er siftin eout dem little tings we calls whalefeed wiv dat ar' rangement he carry in his mouf."

"But why don't we harpoon him?" I asked. Goliath turned on me a pitying look, as he replied, "Sonny, ef yew

wuz ter go on stick iron inter dat ar fish, yew'd fink de hole bottom fell eout kerblunk. W'en I uz young 'n

foolish, a finback range 'longside me one day, off de Seychelles. I just done gone miss' a spam whale, and I

was kiender mad,muss ha' bin. Wall, I let him hab it blam 'tween de ribs. If I lib ten tousan year, ain't

gwine ter fergit dat ar. Wa'nt no time ter spit, tell ye; eberybody hang ober de side ob de boat.

Wizpoof!de line all gone. Clar to glory, I neber see it go. Ef it hab ketch anywhar, nobody eber see US

too. Fus, I t'ought I jump ober de sideneber face de skipper any mo'. But he uz er good ole man, en he only

say, 'Don't be sech blame jackass any more.' En I don't." From which lucid narration I gathered that the

finback had himself to thank for his immunity from pursuit. "'Sides," persisted Goliath, "wa' yew gwine do

wiv' him? Ain't six inch uv blubber anywhere 'bout his long ugly carkiss; en dat, dirty lill' rag 'er whalebone

he got in his mouf, 'taint worf fifty cents. En mor'n dat, we pick up, a dead one when I uz in de ole

RAINBOWdone choke hisself, I spec, en we cut him in. He stink fit ter pison de debbil, en, after all, we

get eighteen bar'l ob dirty oil out ob him. Wa'nt worf de clean sparm scrap we use ter bile him. G' 'way!"

Which emphatic adjuration, addressed not to me, but to the unconscious monster below, closed the lesson for

The calm still persisted, and, as usual, fish began to abound, especially flyingfish. At times, disturbed by

some hungry bonito or dolphin, a shoal of them would risea great wave of silverand skim through the

air, rising and falling for perhaps a couple of hundred yards before they again took to the water; or a solitary

one of larger size than usual would suddenly soar into the air, a heavy splash behind him showing by how

few inches he had missed the jaws of his pursuer. Away he would go in a long, long curve, and, meeting the

ship in his flight, would rise in the air, turn off at right angles to his former direction, and spin away again,

the whir of his wingfins distinctly visible as well as audible. At last he would incline to the water, but just as

he was about to enter it there would be an eddythe enemy was there waitingand he would rise twenty,

thirty feet, almost perpendicularly, and dart away fully a hundred yards on a fresh course before the drying of

his wing membranes compelled him to drop. In the face of such a sight as this, which is of everyday

occurrence in these latitudes, how trivial and misleading the statements made by the natural history books

They tell their readers that the EXOCETUS VOLITANS "does not fly; does not flutter its wings; can only

take a prolonged leap," and so on. The misfortune attendant upon such books seems, to an unlearned sailor

like myself, to be that, although posing as authorities, most of the authors are content to take their facts not

simply at secondhand, but even unto twentysecondhand. So the old fables get repeated, and brought up to

The weather continued calm and clear, and as the flyingfish were about in such immense numbers, I

ventured to suggest to Goliath that we might have a try for some of them. I verily believe he thought I was

mad. He stared at me for a minute, and then, with an indescribable intonation, said, "How de ol' Satan yew

fink yew gwain ter get'm, hey? Ef yew spects ter fool dis chile wiv any dem limejuice yarns, 'bout lanterns

'n boats at nighttime, yew's 'way off." I guessed he meant the fable current among English sailors, that if you

hoist a sail on a calm night in a boat where flyingfish abound, and hang a lantern in the middle of it, the fish

will fly in shoals at the lantern, strike against the sail, and fall in heaps in the boat. It MAY be true, but I

never spoke to anybody who has seen it done, nor is it the method practised in the only place in the world

where flyingfishing is followed for a living. So I told Mr. Jones that if we had some circular nets of small

mesh made and stretched on wooden hoops, I was sure we should be able to catch some. He caught at the

idea, and mentioned it to the mate, who readily gave his permission to use a boat. A couple of "Guineamen"

(a very large kind of flyingfish, having four wings) flew on board that night, as if purposely to provide us

Next morning, about four bells, the sea being like: a mirror, unruffled by a breath of wind, we lowered and

paddled off from the ship about a mile. When far enough away, we commenced operations by squeezing in

the water some pieces of fish that had been kept for the purpose until they were rather highflavoured. The

exuding oil from this fish spread a thin film for some distance around the boat, through which, as through a

sheet of glass, we could see a long way down. Minute specks of the bait sank slowly through the limpid blue,

but for at least an hour there was no sign of life. I was beginning to fear that I should be called to account for

misleading all hands, when, to my unbounded delight, an immense shoal of flyingfish came swimming

round the boat, eagerly picking up the savoury morsels. We grasped our nets, and, leaning over the gunwale,

placed them silently in the water, pressing them downward and in towards the boat at the same time. Our

success was great and immediate. We lifted the wanderers by scores, while I whispered imploringly, "Be

careful not to scare them; don't make a sound." All hands entered into the spirit of the thing with great

eagerness. As for Mistah Jones, his delight was almost more than he could bear. Suddenly one of the men, in

lifting his net, slipped on the smooth bottom of the boat, jolting one of the oars. There was a gleam of light

below as the school turnedthey had all disappeared instanter. We had been so busy that we had not noticed

the dimensions of our catch; but now, to our great joy, we found that we had at least eight hundred fish nearly

as large as herrings. We at once returned to the ship, having been absent only two hours, during which we had

caught sufficient to provide all hands with three good meals. Not one of the crew had ever seen or heard of

such fishing before, so my pride and pleasure may he imagined. A little learning may be a dangerous thing at

times, but it certainly is often handy to have about you. The habit of taking notice and remembering has often

been the means of saving many lives in suddenlymet situations of emergency, at sea perhaps more than

anywhere else, and nothing can be more useful to a sailor than the practice of keeping his weathereye open.

In Barbadoes there is established the only regular flyingfishery in the world, and in just the manner I have

described, except that the boats are considerably larger, is the whole town supplied with delicious fish at so

But I find that I am letting this chapter run to an unconscionable length, and it does not appear as if we were

getting at the southward very fast either. Truth to tell, our progress was mighty slow; but we gradually crept

across the belt of calms, and a week after our nevertobeforgotten haul of flyingfish we got the first of

the southeast trades, and went away south at a good pacefor us. We made the Island of Trinidada with its

strange conicaltopped pillar, the Ninepin Rock, but did not make a call, as the skipper was beginning to get

fidgety at not seeing any whales, and anxious to get down to where he felt reasonably certain of falling in

with them. Life had been very monotonous of late, and much as we dreaded still the prospect of

whalefighting (by "we," of course, I mean the chaps forward), it began to lose much of its terror for us, so

greatly did we long for a little change. Keeping, as we did, out of the ordinary track of ships, we hardly ever

saw a sail. We had no recreations; fun was out of the question; and had it not been for a Bible, a copy of

Shakespeare, and a couple of cheap copies of "David Copperfield" and "Bleak House," all of which were

In a previous chapter I have referred to the fact of a bounty being offered to whoever should first sight a

useful whale, payable only in the event of the prize being secured by the ship. In consequence of our

illsuccess, and to stimulate the watchfulness of all, that bounty was now increased from ten pounds of

tobacco to twenty, or fifteen dollars, whichever the winner chose to have. Most of us whites regarded this as

quite out of the question for us, whose untrained vision was as the naked eye to a telescope when pitted

against the eaglelike sight of the Portuguese. Nevertheless, we all did our little best, and I know, for one,

that when I descended from my lofty perch, after a two hours' vigil, my eyes often ached and burned for an

hour afterwards from the intensity of my gaze across the shining waste of waters.

Judge, then, of the surprise of everybody, when one forenoon watch, three days after we had lost sight of

Trinidada, a most extraordinary sound was heard from the fore crow'snest. I was, at the time, up at the main,

in company with Louis, the mate's harpooner, and we stared across to see whatever was the matter, The

watchman was unfortunate Abner Cushing, whose trivial offence had been so severely punished a short time

before, and he was gesticulating and howling like a madman. Up from below came the deep growl of the

skipper, "Foremast head, there, what d'ye say?" "Bbbblow, sssir," stammered Abner; "a big whale

right in the way of the sun, sir." "See anythin', Louey?" roared the skipper to my companion, just as we had

both "raised" the spout almost in the glare cast by the sun. "Yessir," answered Louis; "but I kaint make him

eout yet, sir." "All right; keep yer eye on him, and lemme know sharp;" and away he went aft for his glasses.

The course was slightly altered, so that we headed direct for the whale, and in less than a minute afterwards

we saw distinctly the great black column of a sperm whale's head rise well above the sea, scattering a circuit

of foam before it, and emitting a bushy, tufted burst of vapour into the clear air. "There she whitewaters! Ah

blooooow, blow, blow!" sang Louis; and then, in another tone, "Sperm whale, sir; big, 'lone fish,

headin' 'beout eastbynothe." "All right. 'Way down from aloft," answered the skipper, who was already

halfway up the mainrigging; and like squirrels we slipped out of our hoops and down the backstays,

passing the skipper like a flash as he toiled upwards, bellowing orders as he went. Short as our journey down

had been, when we arrived on deck we found all ready for a start. But as the whale was at least seven miles

away, and we had a fair wind for him, there was no hurry to lower, so we all stood at attention by our

respective boats, waiting for the signal. I found, to my surprise, that, although I was conscious of a much

more rapid heartbeat than usual, I was not half so scared as I expected to bethat the excitement was rather

pleasant than otherwise. There were a few traces of funk about some of the others still; but as for Abner, he

was fairly transformed; I hardly knew the man. He was one of Goliath's boat's crew, and the big darkey was

quite proud of him. His eyes sparkled, and he chuckled and smiled constantly, as one who is conscious of

having done a grand stroke of business, not only for himself, but for all hands. "Lower away boats!" came

pealing down from the skipper's lofty perch, succeeded instantly by the rattle of the patent blocks as the falls

flew through them, while the four beautiful craft took the water with an almost simultaneous splash. The

shipkeepers had trimmed the yards to the wind and hauled up the courses, so that simply putting the helm

down deadened our way, and allowed the boats to run clear without danger of fouling one another. To shove

off and hoist sail was the work of a few moments, and with a fine working breeze away we went. As before,

our boat, being the chief's, had the post of honour; but there was now only one whale, and I rather wondered

why we had all left the ship. According to expectations, down he went when we were within a couple of

miles of him, but quietly and with great dignity, elevating his tail perpendicularly in the air, and sinking

"Thet whale 'll stay down fifty minutes, I guess," said he, "fer he's every gill ov a hundred en twenty bar'l;

and don't yew fergit it." "Do the big whales give much more trouble than the little ones?" I asked, seeing him

thus chatty. "Wall, it's jest ez it happens, boyjust ez it happens. I've seen a fiftybar'l bull make the purtiest

fight I ever hearn tell ova fight thet lasted twenty hours, stove three boats, 'n killed two men. Then, again,

I've seen a hundred 'n fifty bar'l whale lay 'n take his grooel 'thout hardly wunkin 'n eyelidnever moved ten

fathom from fust iron till fin eout. So yew may say, boy, that they're like peepulgot thair iudividooal

pekyewlyarities, an' thars no countin' on 'em for sartin nary time." I was in great hopes of getting some useful

information while his mood lasted; but it was over, and silence reigned. Nor did I dare to ask any more

questions; he looked so stern and fierce. The scene was very striking. Overhead, a bright blue sky just fringed

with fleecy little clouds; beneath, a deep blue sea with innumerable tiny wavelets dancing and glittering in the

blaze of the sun; but all swayed in one direction by a great, solemn swell that slowly rolled from east to west,

like the measured breathing of some worldsupporting monster. Four little craft in a group, with twentyfour

men in them, silently waiting for battle with one of the mightiest of God's creaturesone that was indeed a

terrible foe to encounter were he but wise enough to make the best use of his opportunities. Against him we

came with our puny weapons, of which I could not help reminding myself that "he laugheth at the shaking of

a spear." But when the man's brain was thrown into the scale against the instinct of the brute, the contest

looked less unequal than at first sight, for THERE is the secret of success. My musings were very suddenly

interrupted. Whether we had overrun our distance, or the whale, who was not "making a passage," but

feeding, had changed his course, I do not know; but, anyhow, he broke water close ahead, coming straight for

our boat. His great black head, like the broad bow of a dumb barge, driving the waves before it, loomed high

and menacing to me, for I was not forbidden to look ahead now. But coolly, as if coming alongside the ship,

the mate bent to the big steeroar, and swung the boat off at right angles to her course, bringing her back

again with another broad sheer as the whale passed foaming. This manoeuvre brought us side by side with

him before he had time to realize that we were there. Up till that instant he had evidently not seen us, and his

surprise was correspondingly great. To see Louis raise his harpoon high above his head, and with a hoarse

grunt of satisfaction plunge it into the black, shining mass beside him up to the hitches, was indeed a sight to

be remembered. Quick as thought he snatched up a second harpoon, and as the whale rolled from us it flew

from his hands, burying itself like the former one, but lower down the body. The great impetus we had when

we reached the whale carried us a long way past him, out of all danger from his struggles. No hindrance was

experienced from the line by which we were connected with the whale, for it was loosely coiled in a space for

the purpose in the boat's bow to the extent of two hundred feet, and this was cast overboard by the harpooner

as soon as the fish was fast. He made a fearful. todo over it, rolling completely over several times backward

and forward, at the same time smiting the sea with his mighty tail, making an almost deafening noise and

pother. But we were comfortable enough, while we unshipped the mast and made ready for action, being

sufficiently far away from him to escape the full effect of his gambols. It was impossible to avoid reflecting,

however, upon what WOULD happen if, in our unprepared and so far helpless state, he were, instead of

simply tumbling about in an aimless, blind sort of fury, to rush at the boat and try to destroy it. Very few

indeed would survive such an attack, unless the tactics were radically altered. No doubt they would be, for

practices grow up in consequence of the circumstances with which they have to deal.

After the usual time spent in furious attempts to free himself from our annoyance, he betook himself below,

leaving us to await his return, and hasten it as much as possible by keeping a severe strain upon the line. Our

efforts in this direction, however, did not seem to have any effect upon him at all. Flake after flake ran out of

the tubs, until we were compelled to hand the end of our line to the second mate to splice his own on to. Still

it slipped away, and at last it was handed to the third mate, whose two tubs met the same fate. It was now

Mistah Jones' turn to "bend on," which he did with many chuckles as of a man who was the last resource of

the unfortunate. But his face grew longer and longer as the neverresting line continued to disappear. Soon

he signalled us that he was nearly out of line, and two or three minutes after he bent on his "drogue" (a square

piece of plank with a rope tail spliced into its centre, and considered to hinder a whale's progress at least as

much as four boats), and let go the end. We had each bent on our drogues in the same way, when we passed

our ends to one another. So now our friend was getting along somewhere below with 7200 feet of l 1/2inch

Of course we knew that, unless he were dead and sinking, he could not possibly remain much longer beneath

the surface. The exhibition of endurance we had just been favoured with was a very unusual one, I was told, it

being a rare thing for a cachalot to take out two boats' lines before returning to the surface to spout.

Therefore, we separated as widely as was thought necessary, in order to be near him on his arrival. It was, as

might be imagined, some time before we saw the light of his countenance; but when we did, we had no

difficulty in getting alongside of him again. My friend Goliath, much to my delight, got there first, and

succeeded in picking up the bight of the line. But having done so, his chance of distinguishing himself was

gone. Hampered by the immense quantity of sunken line which was attached to the whale, he could do

nothing, and soon received orders to cut the bight of the line and pass the whale's end to us. He had hardly

obeyed, with a very bad grace, when the whale started off to windward with us at a tremendous rate. The

other boats, having no line, could do nothing to help, so away we went alone, with barely a hundred fathoms

of line, in case he should take it into his head to sound again. The speed at which he went made it appear as if

a gale of wind was blowing and we flew along the sea surface, leaping from crest to crest of the waves with

an incessant succession of cracks like pistolshots. The flying spray drenched us and prevented us from

seeing him, but I fully realized that it was nothing to what we should have to put up with if the wind

freshened much. One hand was kept bailing the water out which came so freely over the bows, but all the rest

hauled with all their might upon the line, hoping to get a little closer to the flying monster. Inch by inch we

gained on him, encouraged by the hoarse objurgations of the mate, whose excitement was intense. After what

seemed a terribly long chase, we found his speed slackening, and we redoubled our efforts. Now we were

close upon him; now, in obedience to the steersman, the boat sheered out a bit, and we were abreast of his

labouring flukes; now the mate hurls his quivering lance with such hearty goodwill that every inch of its

slender shaft disappears within the huge body. "Layoff! Off with her, Louey!" screamed the mate; and she

gave a wide sheer away from the whale, not a second too soon. Up flew that awful tail, descending with a

crash upon the water not two feet from us. "Out oars! Pull, two! starn, three!" shouted the mate; and as we

obeyed our foe turned to fight. Then might one see how courage and skill were such mighty factors in the

apparently unequal contest. The whale's great length made it no easy job for him to turn, while our boat, with

two oars aside, and the great leverage at the stern supplied by the nineteenfoot steeroar circled, backed,

and darted ahead like a living thing animated by the mind of our commander. When the leviathan settled, we

gave a wide berth to his probable place of ascent; when he rushed at us, we dodged him; when he paused, if

only momentarily, in we flew, and got home a fearful thrust of the deadly lance.

All fear was forgotten nowI panted, thirsted for his life. Once, indeed, in a sort of frenzy, when for an

instant we lay side by side with him, I drew my sheathknife, and plunged it repeatedly into the blubber, as if

I were assisting is his destruction. Suddenly the mate gave a howl: "Starn allstarn all! oh, starn!" and the

oars bent like canes as we obeyed. There was an upheaval of the sea just ahead; then slowly, majestically, the

vast body of our foe rose into the air. Up, up it went, while my heart stood still, until the whole of that

immense creature hung on high, apparently motionless, and then fella hundred tons of solid fleshback

into the sea. On either side of that mountainous mass the waters rose in shining towers of snowy foam, which

fell in their turn, whirling and eddying around us as we tossed and fell like a chip in a whirlpool. Blinded by

the flying spray, baling for very life to free the boat from the water with which she was nearly full, it was

some minutes before I was able to decide whether we were still uninjured or not. Then I saw, at a little

distance, the whale lying quietly. As I looked he spouted, and the vapour was red with his blood. "Starn all!"

again cried our chief, and we retreated to a considerable distance. The old warrior's practised eye had

detected the coming climax of our efforts, the dying agony or "furry" of the great mammal. Turning upon his

side, be began to move in a circular direction, slowly at first, then faster and faster, until he was rushing

round at tremendous speed, his great head raised quite out of water at times, clashing his enormous jaws.

Torrents of blood poured from his spouthole, accompanied by hoarse bellowings, as of some gigantic bull,

but really caused by the labouring breath trying to pass through the clogged air passages. The utmost caution

and rapidity of manipulation of the boat was necessary to avoid his maddened rush, but this gigantic energy

was shortlived. In a few minutes he subsided slowly in death, his mighty body reclined on one side, the fin

uppermost waving limply as he rolled to the swell, while the small waves broke gently over the carcass in a

low, monotonous surf, intensifying the profound silence that had succeeded the tumult of our conflict with

the late monarch of the deep. Hardly had the flurry ceased, when we hauled up alongside of our hardwon

prize, in order to secure a line to him in a better manner than at present for hauling him to the ship. This was

effected by cutting a hole through the tough, gristly substance of the flukes with the short "boatspade,"

carried for the purpose. The end of the line, cut off from the faithful harpoon that had held it so long, was

then passed through this hole and made fast. This done, it was "Smokeoh!" The luxury of that rest and

refreshment was something to be grateful for, coming, as it did, in such complete contrast to our recent

The ship was some three or four miles off to leeward, so we reckoned she would take at least an hour and a

half to work up to us. Meanwhile, our part of the performance being over, and well over, we thoroughly

enjoyed ourselves, lazily rocking on the gentle swell by the side of a catch worth at least L800. During the

conflict I had not noticed what now claimed attention several great masses of white,

semitransparentlooking substance floating about, of huge size and irregular shape. But one of these curious

lumps came floating by as we lay, tugged at by several fish, and I immediately asked the mate if he could tell

me what it was and where it came from. He told me that, when dying, the cachalot always ejected the

contents of his stomach, which were invariably composed of such masses as we saw before us; that he

believed the stuff to be portions of big cuttlefish, bitten off by the whale for the purpose of swallowing, but

he wasn't sure. Anyhow, I could haul this piece alongside now, if I liked, and see. Secretly wondering at the

indifference shown by this officer of forty years' whaling experience to such a wonderful fact as appeared to

be here presented, I thanked him, and, sticking the boathook into the lump, drew it alongside. It was at once

evident that it was a massive fragment of cuttle fishtentacle or armas thick as a stout man's body, and

with six or seven suckingdiscs or ACETABULA on it. These were about as large as a saucer, and on their

inner edge were thickly set with hooks or claws all round the rim, sharp as needles, and almost the shape and

To what manner of awful monster this portion of limb belonged, I could only faintly imagine; but of course I

remembered, as any sailor would, that from my earliest seagoing I had been told that the cuttlefish was the

biggest in the sea, although I never even began to think it might be true until now. I asked the mate if he had

ever seen such creatures as this piece belonged to alive and kicking. He answered, languidly, "Wall, I guess

so; but I don't take any stock in fish, 'cept for provisions er ileen that's a fact." It will be readily believed

that I vividly recalled this conversation when, many years after, I read an account by the Prince of Monaco of

HIS discovery of a gigantic squid, to which his naturalist gave the name of LEPIDOTEUTHIS GRIMALDII!

Truly the indifference and apathy manifested by whalers generally to everything except commercial matters

is wonderfulhardly to be credited. However, this was a mighty revelation to me. For the first time, it was

possible to understand that, contrary to the usual notion of a whale's being unable to swallow a herring, here

was a kind of whale that could swallowwell, a block four or five feet square apparently; who lived upon

creatures as large as himself, if one might judge of their bulk by the sample to hand; but being unable, from

only possessing teeth in one jaw, to masticate his food, was compelled to tear it in sizable pieces, bolt it

While thus ruminating, the mate and Louis began a desultory conversation concerning what they termed

"ambergrease." I had never even heard the word before, although I had a notion that Milton, in "Paradise

Regained," describing the Satanic banquet, had spoken of something being "grisamber steamed." They

could by no means agree as to what this mysterious substance was, how it was produced, or under what

conditions. They knew that it was sometimes found floating near the dead body of a sperm whalethe mate,

in fact, stated that he had taken it once from the rectum of a cachalotand they were certain that it was of

great value from one to three guineas per ounce. When I got to know more of the natural history of the

sperm whale, and had studied the literature of the subject, I was so longer surprised at their want of

agreement, since the learned doctors who have written upon the subject do not seem to have come to definite

By some it is supposed to be the product of a diseased condition of the creature; others consider that it is

merely the excreta, which, normally fluid, has by some means become concreted. It is nearly always found

with cuttlefish beaks imbedded in its substance, showing that these indigestible portions of the sperm

whale's food have in some manner become mixed with it during its formation in the bowel. Chemists have

analyzed it with scanty results. Its great value is due to its property of intensifying the power of perfumes,

although, strange to say, it has little or no odour of its own, a faint trace of musk being perhaps detectable in

some cases. The Turks are said to use it for a truly Turkish purpose, which need not be explained here, while

the Moors are credited with a taste for it in their cookery. About both these latter statements there is

considerable doubt; I only give them for what they are worth, without, committing myself to any definite

The ship now neared us fast, and as soon as she roundedto, we left the whale and pulled towards her, paying

out line as we went. Arriving alongside, the line was handed on board, and in a short time the prize was

hauled to the gangway. We met with a very different reception this time. The skipper's grim face actually

looked almost pleasant as he contemplated the colossal proportions of the latest addition to our stock. He was

indeed a fine catch, being at least seventy feet long, and in splendid condition. As soon as he was secured

alongside in the orthodox fashion, all hands were sent to dinner, with an intimation to look sharp over it.

Judging from our slight previous experience, there was some heavy labour before us, for this whale was

nearly four times as large as the one caught off the Cape Verds. And it was so. Verily those officers toiled

like Titans to get that tremendous head off even the skipper taking a hand. In spite of their efforts, it was dark

before the heavy job was done. As we were in no danger of bad weather, the head was dropped astern by a

hawser until morning, when it would be safer to dissect it. All that night we worked incessantly, ready to drop

with fatigue, but not daring to suggest, the possibility of such a thing. Several of the officers and harpooners

were allowed a few hours off, as their special duty of dealing with the head at daylight would be so arduous

as to need all their energies. When day dawned we were allowed a short rest, while the work of cutting up the

head was undertaken by the rested men. At seven bells (7.30) it was "turn to" all hands again. The "junk "

was hooked on to both cutting tackles, and the windlass manned by everybody who could get hold. Slowly

the enormous mass rose, canting the ship heavily as it came, while every stick and rope aloft complained of

the great strain upon them. When at last it was safely shipped, and the tackles cast off, the size of this small

It was hauled from the gangway by tackles, and securely lashed to the rail running round beneath the top of

the bulwarks for that purposethe "lashrail"where the top of it towered up as high as the third ratline of

the mainrigging. Then there was another spell, while the "case" was separated from the skull. This was too

large to get on board, so it was lifted halfway out of water by the tackles, one hooked on each side; then

they were made fast, and a spar rigged across them at a good height above the top of the case. A small Block

was lashed to this spar, through which a line was rove. A long, narrow bucket was attached to one end of this

rope; the other end on deck was attended by two men. One unfortunate beggar was perched aloft on the

abovementioned spar, where his position, like the mainyard of Marryatt's verbose carpenter was

"precarious and not at all permanent." He was provided with a pole, with which he pushed the bucket down

through a hole cut in the upper end of the "case," whence it was drawn out by the chaps on deck full of

spermaceti. It was a weary, unsatisfactory process, wasting a great deal of the substance being baled out; but

no other way was apparently possible. The grease blew about, drenching most of us engaged in an altogether

unpleasant fashion, while, to mend matters, the old barky began to roll and tumble about in an aimless,

drunken sort of way, the result of a new cross swell rolling up from the southwestward. As the stuff was

gained, it was poured into large tanks in the blubberroom, the quantity being too great to be held by the

trypots at once. Twentyfive barrels of this clear, waxlike substance were baled from that case; and when

at last it was lowered a little, and cut away from its supports, it was impossible to help thinking that much

was still remaining within which we, with such rude means, were unable to save. Then came the task of

cutting up the junk. Layer after layer, eight to ten inches thick, was sliced off, cut into suitable pieces, and

passed into the tanks. So full was the matter of spermaceti that one could take a piece as large as one's head in

the hands, and squeeze it like a sponge, expressing the spermaceti in showers, until nothing remained But a

tiny ball of fibre. All this soft, pulpy mass was held together by walls of exceedingly tough, gristly

integrument ("white horse"), which was as difficult to cut as guttapercha, and, but for the peculiar texture,

When we had finished separating the junk, there was nearly a foot of oil on deck in the waist, and uproarious

was the laughter when some hapless individual, losing his balance, slid across the deck and sat down with a

The lower jaw of this whale measured exactly nineteen feet in length from the opening of the mouth, or, say

the last of the teeth, to the point, and carried twentyeight teeth on each side. For the time, it was hauled aft

out of the way, and secured to the lashrail. The subsequent proceedings were just the same as before

described, only more so. For a whole week our labours continued, and when they were over we had stowed

below a hundred and fortysix barrels of mingled oil and spermaceti, or fourteen and a half tuns.

It was really a pleasant sight to see Abner receiving as if being invested with an order of merit, the twenty

pounds of tobacco to which he was entitled. Poor fellow! he felt as if at last he were going to be thought a

little of, and treated a little better. He brought his bounty forrard, and shared it out as far as it would go with

the greatest delight and good nature possible. Whatever he might have been thought of aft, certainly, for the

time, he was a very important personage forrard; even the Portuguese, who were inclined to be jealous of

what they considered an infringement of their rights, were mollified by the generosity shown.

After every sign of the operations had been cleared away, the jaw was brought out, and the teeth extracted

with a small tackle. They were set solidly into a hard white gum, which had to be cut away all around them

before they would come out. When cleaned of the gum, they were headed up in a small barrel of brine. The

great jawpans were sawn off, and placed at the disposal of anybody who wanted pieces of bone for

"scrimshaw," or carved work. This is a very favourite pastime on board whalers, though, in ships such as

ours, the crew have little opportunity for doing anything, hardly any leisure during daylight being allowed.

But our carpenter was a famous workman at "scrimshaw," and he started half a dozen walkingsticks

forthwith. A favourite design is to carve the bone into the similitude of a rope, with "worming" of smaller line

along its lays. A handle is carved out of a whale's tooth, and insets of baleen, silver, cocoatree, or ebony,

give variety and finish. The tools used are of the roughest. Some old files, softened in the fire, and filed into

grooves something like sawteeth, are most used; but old knives, sailneedles, and chisels are pressed into

service. The work turned out would, in many cases, take a very high place in an exhibition of turnery, though

never a lathe was near it. Of course, a long time is taken over it, especially the polishing, which is done with

oil and whiting, if it can be gotpowdered pumice if it cannot. I once had an elaborate pastrycutter carved

out of six whale's teeth, which I purchased for a pound of tobacco from a seaman of the CORAL whaler, and

afterwards sold in Dunedin, New Zealand, for L2 10s., the purchaser being decidedly of opinion that he had a

Perhaps it may hastily be assumed, from the large space already devoted to fishing operations of various

kinds, that the subject will not bear much more dealing with, if my story is to avoid being monotonous. But I

beg to assure you, dear reader, that while of course I have most to say in connection with the business of the

voyage, nothing is farther from my plan than to neglect the very interesting portion of our cruise which

relates to visiting strange, outoftheway corners of the world. If which I earnestly deprecatethe

description hitherto given of sperm whalefishing and its adjuncts be found not so interesting as could be

wished, I cry you mercy. I have been induced to give more space to it because it has been systematically

avoided in the works upon whalefishing before mentioned, which, as I have said, were not intended for

popular reading. True, neither may my humble tome become popular either; but, if it does not, no one will be

We had made but little progress during the week of oil manufacture, very little attention being paid to the

sails while that work was about; but, as the southeast trades blew steadily, we did not remain stationary

altogether. So that the following week saw us on the south side of the tropic of Capricorn, the southeast

trade done, and the dirty weather and variable squalls, which nearly always precede the "westerlies," making

our lives a burden to us. Here, however, we were better off than in an ordinary merchantman, where

doldrums are enough to drive you mad. The one object being to get along, it is incessant "pully hauly,"

setting and taking in sail, in order, on the one hand, to lose no time, and, on the other, to lose no sails. Now,

with us, whenever the weather was doubtful or squallylooking, we shortened sail, and kept it fast till better

weather came along, being quite careless whether we made one mile a day or one hundred. But just because

nobody took any notice of our progress as the days passed, we were occasionally startled to find how far we

had really got. This was certainly the case with all of us forward, even to me who had some experience, so

well used had I now become to the leisurely way of getting along. To the laziest of ships, however, there

comes occasionally a time when the bustling, hurrying wind will take no denial, and you've got to "git up an'

git," as the Yanks put it. Such a time succeeded our "batterfanging" about, after losing the trades. We got

hold of a westerly wind that, commencing quietly, gently, steadily, taking two or three days before it gathered

force and volume, strengthened at last into a stern, settled gale that would brook no denial, to face which

would have been misery indeed. To vessels bound east it came as a boon and blessing, for it would be a

crawler that could not reel off her two hundred and fifty miles a day before the push of such a breeze. Even

the CACHALOT did her one hundred and fifty, pounding and bruising the illused sea in her path, and

spreading before her broad bows a far reaching area of snowy foam, while her wake was as wide as any two

ordinary ships ought to make. Five or six times a day the flying East India or colonialbound English ships,

under every stitch of square sail, would appear as tiny specks on the horizon astern, come up with us, pass

like a flash, and fade away ahead, going at least two knots to our one. I could not help feeling a bit,

homesick and tired of my present surroundings, in spite of their interest, when I saw those beautiful

oceanflyers devouring the distance which lay before them, and reflected that in little more than one month

most of them would be discharging in Melbourne, Sydney, Calcutta, or some other equally distant port, while

we should probably be dodging about in our present latitude a little farther east.

After a few days of our present furious rate of speed, I came on deck one morning, and instantly recognized

an old acquaintance. Right ahead, looking nearer than I had ever seen it before, rose the towering mass of

Tristan d'Acunha, while farther away, but still visible, lay Nightingale and Inaccessible Islands. Their aspect

was familiar, for I had sighted them on nearly every voyage I had made round the Cape, but I had never seen

them so near as this. There was a good deal of excitement among us, and no wonder. Such a break in the

monotony of our lives as we were about to have was enough to turn our heads. Afterwards, we learned to

view these matters in a more philosophic light; but now, being new and galled by the yoke, it was a different

thing. Near as the island seemed, it was six hours before we got near enough to distinguish objects on shore. I

have seen the top of Tristan peeping through a cloud nearly a hundred miles away, for its height is

tremendous. St. Helena looks a towering, scowling mass when you approach it closely but Tristan d'Acunha

is far more imposing, its savagelooking cliffs seeming to sternly forbid the venturesome voyager any nearer

familiarity with their frowning fastnesses. Long before we came within working distance of the settlement,

we were continually passing broad patches of kelp (FUCUS GIGANTEA), whose great leaves and cablelaid

stems made quite reeflike breaks in the heaving waste of restless sea. Very different indeed were these

patches of marine growth from the elegant wreaths of the Gulfweed with which parts of the North Atlantic

are so thickly covered. Their colour was deep brown, almost black is some cases, and the size of many of the

leaves amazing, being four to five feet long, by a foot wide, with stalks as thick as one's arm. They have their

origin around these stormbeaten rocks, which lie scattered thinly over the immense area of the Southern

Ocean, whence they are torn, in masses like those we saw, by every gale, and sent wandering round the

When we arrived within about three miles of the landingplace, we saw a boat coming off, so we

immediately hoveto and awaited her arrival. There was no question of anchoring; indeed, there seldom is in

these vessels, unless they are going to make a long stay, for they are past masters in the art of "standing off

and on." "The boat came alongsidea big, substantiallybuilt craft of the whaleboat type, but twice the

sizemanned by ten sturdy looking fellows, as unkempt and wildlooking as any pirates. They were

evidently put to great straits for clothes, many curious makeshifts being noticeable in their rig, while it was so

patched with every conceivable kind of material that it was impossible to say which was the original or

"standing part." They brought with them potatoes, onions, a few stunted cabbages, some fowls, and a couple

of goodsized pigs, at the sight of which good things our eyes glistened and our mouths watered. Alas! none

of the cargo of that boat ever reached OUR hungry stomachs. We were not surprised, having anticipated that

every bit of provision would be monopolized by our masters; but of course we had no means of altering such

The visitors had the same tale to tell that seems universalbad trade, hard times, nothing doing. How very

familiar it seemed, to be sure. Nevertheless, it could not be denied that their sole means of communication

with the outer world, as well as market for their goods, the calling whaleships, were getting fewer and fewer

every year; so that their outlook was not, it must be confessed, particularly bright. But their wants are few,

beyond such as they can themselves supply. Groceries and clothes, the latter especially, as the winters are

very severe, are almost the only needs they require to be supplied with from without. They spoke of the

"Cape" as if it were only across the way, the distance separating them from that wonderful place being over

thirteen hundred miles in reality. Very occasionally a schooner from Capetown does visit them; but, as the

seals are almost exterminated, there is less and less inducement to make the voyage.

Like almost all the southern islets, this group has been in its time the scene of a wonderfully productive

sealfishery. It used to be customary for whaling and sealing vessels to land a portion of their crews, and

leave them to accumulate a store of seal skins and oil, while the ships cruised the surrounding seas for

whales, which were exceedingly numerous, both "right" and sperm varieties. In those days there was no

monotony of existence in these islands, ships were continually coming and going, and the islanders prospered

exceedingly. When they increased beyond the capacity of the islands to entertain them, a portion migrated to

the Cape, while many of the men took service in the whaleships, for which they were eminently suited.

They are, as might be expected, a hybrid lot, the women all mulattoes, but intensely English in their views

and loyalty. Since the visit of H.M.S. GALATEA, in August, 1867, with the Duke of Edinburgh on board,

this sentiment had been intensified, and the little collection of thatched cottages, nameless till then, was

called Edinburgh, in honour of the illustrious voyager. They breed cattle, a few sheep, and pigs, although the

sheep thrive but indifferently for some reason or another. Poultry they have in large numbers, so that, could

The steep cliffs, rising from the sea for nearly a thousand feet, often keep their vicinity in absolute calm,

although a heavy gale may be raging on the other side of the island, and it would be highly dangerous for any

navigator not accustomed to such a neighbourhood to get too near them. The immense rollers setting inshore,

and the absence of wind combined, would soon carry a vessel up against the beetling crags, and letting go an

anchor would not be of the slightest use, since the bottom, being of massive boulders, affords no holding

ground at all. All round the island the kelp grows thickly, so thickly indeed as to make a boat's progress

through it difficult. This, however, is very useful in one way here, as we found. Wanting more supplies,

which were to be had cheap, we lowered a couple of boats, and went ashore after them. On approaching the

black, pebbly beach which formed the only landingplace, it appeared as if getting ashore would be a task of

no ordinary danger and difficulty. The swell seemed to culminate as we neared the beach, lifting the boats at

one moment high in air, and at the next lowering them into a green valley, from whence nothing could be

seen but the surrounding watery summits. Suddenly we entered the belt of kelp, which extended for perhaps a

quarter of a mile seaward, and, lo! a transformation indeed. Those loose, waving fronds of flexible weed,

though swayed hither and thither by every ripple, were able to arrest the devastating rush of the gigantic

swell, so that the task of landing, which had looked so terrible, was one of the easiest. Once in among the

kelp, although we could hardly use the oars, the water was quite smooth and tranquil. The islanders collected

on the beach, and guided us to the best spot for landing, the huge boulders, heaped in many places, being ugly

We were as warmly welcomed as if we had been old friends, and hospitable attentions were showered upon

us from every side. The people were noticeably wellbehaved, and, although there was something

Crusoelike in their way of living, their manners and conversation were distinctly good. A rude plenty was

evident, there being no lack of good foodfish, fowl, and vegetables. The grassy plateau on which the

village stands is a sort of shelf jutting out from the mountainside, the mountain being really the whole

island. Steep roads were hewn out of the solid rock, leading, as we were told, to the cultivated terraces above.

These reached an elevation of about a thousand feet. Above all towered the great, dominating peak, the

summit lost in the clouds eight or nine thousand feet above. The rockhewn roads and cultivated land

certainly gave the settlement an oldestablished appearance, which was not surprising seeing that it has been

inhabited for more than a hundred years. I shall always bear a grateful recollection of the place, because my

host gave me what I had long been a stranger toa good, oldfashioned English dinner of roast beef and

baked potatoes. He apologized for having no plumpudding to crown the feast. "But, you see," he said, "we

kaint grow no corn hyar, and we'm clean run out ov flour; hev ter make out on taters 's best we kin." I

sincerely sympathized with him on the lack of breadstuff among them, and wondered no longer at the

avidity with which they had munched our flinty biscuits on first coming aboard. His wife, a buxom, motherly

woman of about fifty, of dark, olive complexion, but good features, was kindness itself; and their three

youngest children, who were at home, could not, in spite of repeated warnings and threats, keep their eyes off

me, as if I had been some strange animal dropped from the moon. I felt very unwilling to leave them so soon,

but time was pressing, the stores we had come for were all ready to ship, and I had to tear myself away from

these kindly entertainers. I declare, it seemed like parting with old friends; yet our acquaintance might have

been measured by minutes, so brief it had been. The mate had purchased a fine bullock, which had been

slaughtered and cut up for us with great celerity, four or five dozen fowls (alive), four or five sacks of

potatoes, eggs, etc., so that we were heavily laden for the return journey to the ship. My friend had kindly

given me a large piece of splendid cheese, for which I was unable to make him any return, being simply clad

in a shirt and pair of trousers, neither of which necessary garments could be spared.

With hearty cheers from the whole population, we shoved off and ploughed through the kelp seaweed again.

When we got clear of it, we found the swell heavier than when we had come, and a rough journey back to the

ship was the result. But, to such boatmen as we were, that was a trifle hardly worth mentioning, and after an

hour's hard pull we got alongside again, and transhipped our precious cargo. The weather being threatening,

we at once hauled off the land and out to sea, as night was falling and we did not wish to be in so dangerous a

vicinity any longer than could be helped in stormy weather. Altogether, a most enjoyable day, and one that I

By daybreak next morning the islands were out of sight, for the wind had risen to a gale, which, although we

carried little sail, drove us along before it some seven or eight knots an hour.

Two days afterwards we caught another whale of medium size, making us fiftyfour barrels of oil. As

nothing out of the ordinary course marked the capture, it is unnecessary to do more than allude to it in

passing, except to note that the honours were all with Goliath. He happened to be close to the whale when it

rose, and immediately got fast. So dexterous and swift were his actions that before any of the other boats

could "chip in" he had his fish "fin out," the whole affair from start to finish only occupying a couple of

hours. We were now in the chosen haunts of the great albatross, Cape pigeons, and Cape hens, but never in

my life had I imagined such a concourse of them as now gathered around us. When we lowered there might

have been perhaps a couple of dozen birds in sight, but no sooner was the whale dead than from out of the

great void around they began to drift towards us. Before we had got him fast alongside, the numbers of that

feathered host were incalculable. They surrounded us until the sea surface was like a plain of snow, and their

discordant cries were deafening. With the exception of one peculiarlooking bird, which has received from

whalemen the inelegant name of "stinker," none of them attempted to alight upon the body of the dead

monster. This bird, however, somewhat like a small albatross, but of dirtygrey colour, and with a peculiar

excrescence on his beak, boldly took his precarious place upon the carcase, and at once began to dig into the

It was dark before we got our prize secured by the flukechain, so that we could not commence operations

before morning. That night it blew hard, and we got an idea of the strain these vessels are sometimes

subjected to. Sometimes the ship rolled one way and the whale another, being divided by a big sea, the

wrench at the flukechain, as the two masses fell apart down different hollows, making the vessel quiver

from truck to keelson as if she was being torn asunder. Then we would come together again with a crash and

a shock that almost threw everybody out of their bunks. Many an earnest prayer did I breathe that the chain

would prove staunch, for what sort of a job it would be to go after that whale during the night, should he

break loose, I could only faintly imagine. But all our gear was of the very best; no thieving shipchandler had

any band in supplying our outfit with shoddy rope and faulty chain, only made to sell, and ready at the first

call made upon it to carry away and destroy half a dozen valuable lives. There was one coil of rope on board

which the skipper had bought for cordage on the previous voyage from a homewardbound English ship, and

it was the butt of all the officers' scurrilous remarks about Britishers and their gear. It was never used but for

ropeyarns, being cut up in lengths, and untwisted for the ignominious purpose of tying things up "hardly

Tired as we all were, very little sleep came to us that nightwe were barely seasoned yet to the exigencies of

a whaler's life but afterwards I believe nothing short of dismasting or running the ship ashore would wake

us, once we got to sleep. In the morning we commenced operations in a howling gale of wind, which placed

the lives of the officers on the "cutting in" stage in great danger. The wonderful seaworthy qualities of our old

ship shone brilliantly now. When an ordinary modernbuilt sailing ship would have been making such

weather of it as not only to drown anybody about the deck, but making it impossible to keep your footing

anywhere without holding on, we were enabled to cut in this whale. True, the work was terribly exhausting

and decidedly dangerous, but it was not impossible, for it was done. By great care and constant attention, the

whole work of cutting in and trying out was got through without a single accident; but had another whale

turned up to continue the trying time, I am fully persuaded that some of us would have gone under from sheer

fatigue. For there was no mercy shown. All that I have ever read of "putting the slaves through for all they

were worth" on the plantations was fully realized here, and our worthy skipper must have been a lineal

The men were afraid to go on to the sicklist. Nothing short of total inability to continue would have

prevented them from working, such was the terror with which that man had inspired us all. It may be said that

we were a pack of cowards, who, without the courage to demand better treatment, deserved all we got. While

admitting that such a conclusion is quite a natural one at which to arrive, I must deny its truth. There were

men in that forecastle as good citizens and as brave fellows as you would wish to meetmen who in their

own sphere would have commanded and obtained respect. But under the painful and abnormal circumstances

in which they found themselvesbeaten and driven like dogs while in the throes of seasickness, half

starved and hopeless, their spirit had been so broken, and they were so kept down to that sad level by the

display of force, aided by deadly weapons aft, that no other condition could be expected for them but that of

brokenhearted slaves. My own case was many degrees better than that of the other whites, as I have before

noted; but I was perfectly well aware that the slightest attempt on my part to show that I resented our

common treatment would meet with the most brutal repression, and, in addition, I might look for a dreadful

The memory of that week of misery is so strong upon me even now that my hand trembles almost to

preventing me from writing about it. Weak and feeble do the words seem as I look at them, making me wish

for the fire and force of Carlyle or Macaulay to portray our unnecessary sufferings.

Like all other earthly ills, however, they came to an end, at least for a time, and I was delighted to note that

we were getting to the northward again. In making the outward passage round the Cape, it is necessary to go

well south, in order to avoid the great westerly set of the Agulhas current, which for ever sweeps steadily

round the southern extremity of the African continent at an average rate of three or four miles an hour. To

homewardbound ships this is a great boon. No matter what the weather may bea stark calm or a gale of

wind right on end in your teeththat vast, silent river in the sea steadily bears you on at the same rate in the

direction of home. It is perfectly true that with a gale blowing across the set of this great current, one of the

very ugliest combinations of broken waves is raised; but who cares for that, when he knows that, as long as

the ship holds together, some seventy or eighty miles per day nearer home must be placed to her credit? In

like manner, it is of the deepest comfort to know that, storm or calm, fair or foul, the current of time,

unhasting, unresting, bears us on to the goal that we shall surely reachthe haven of unbroken rest.

Not the least of the minor troubles on board the CACHALOT was the uncertainty of our destination; we

never knew where we were going. It may seem a small point, but it is really not so unimportant as a landsman

might imagine. On an ordinary passage, certain wellknown signs are as easily read by the seaman as if the

ship's position were given out to him every day. Every alteration of the course signifies some point of the

journey reached, some wellknown track entered upon, and every landfall made becomes a new departure

from whence to base one's calculations, which, rough as they are, rarely err more than a few days.

Say, for instance, you are bound for Calcutta. The first of the northeast trades will give a fair idea of your

latitude being about the edge of the tropics somewhere, or say from 20deg. to 25deg. N., whether you have

sighted any of the islands or not. Then away you go before the wind down towards the Equator, the approach

to which is notified by the loss of the trade and the dirty, changeable weather of the "doldrums." That weary

bit of work over, along come the southeast trades, making you brace "sharp up," and sometimes driving you

uncomfortably near the Brazilian coast. Presently more "doldrums," with a good deal more wind in them than

in the "wariables" of the line latitude. The brave "westerly" will come along byandby and release you, and,

with a staggering press of sail carried to the reliable gale, away you go for the long stretch of a hundred

degrees or so eastward. You will very likely sight Tristan d'Acunha or Gough lsland; but, if not, the course

will keep you fairly well informed of your longitude, since most ships make more or less of a great circle

track. Instead of steering due East for the whole distance, they make for some southerly latitude by running

along the arc of a great circle, THEN run due east for a thousand miles or so before gradually working north

again. These alterations in the courses tell the foremast hand nearly all he wants to know, slight as they are.

You will most probably sight Amsterdam Island or St. Paul's in about 77deg. E.; but whether you do or not,

the big change made in the course, to say nothing of the difference in the weather and temperature, say loudly

that your long easterly run is over, and you are bound to the northward again, Soon the southeast trades will

take you gently in hand, and waft you pleasurably upward to the line again, unless you should be so

unfortunate as to meet one of the devastating meteors known as "cyclones" in its gyration across the Indian

Ocean. After losing the trade, which signals your approach to the line once more, your guides fluctuate

muchly with the time of year. But it may he broadly put that the change of the monsoon in the Bay of Bengal

is beastliness unadulterated, and the south west monsoon itself, though a fair wind for getting to your

destination, is worse, if possible. Still, having got that far, you are able to judge pretty nearly when, in the

ordinary course of events, you will arrive at Saugor, and get a tug for the rest of the journey.

But on this strange voyage I was quite as much in the dark concerning our approximate position as any of the

chaps who had never seen salt water before they viewed it from the bad eminence of the CACHALOT's deck.

Of course, it was evident that we were bound eastward, but whether to the Indian seas or to the South Pacific,

none knew but the skipper, and perhaps the mate. I say "perhaps" advisedly. In any wellregulated merchant

ship there is an invariable routine of observations performed by both captain and chief officer, except in very

big vessels, where the second mate is appointed navigating officer. The two men work out their reckoning

independently of each other, and compare the result, so that an excellent check upon the accuracy of the

positions found is thereby afforded. Here, however, there might not have been, as far as appearances went, a

navigator in the ship except the captain, if it be not a misuse of terms to call him a navigator. If the test be

ability to take a ship round the world, poking into every undescribed, outoftheway corner you can think

of, and return home again without damage to the ship of any kind except by the unavoidable perils of the sea,

then doubtless he WAS a navigator, and a ripe, good one. But anything cruder than the "ruleofthumb" way

in which he found his positions, or more out of date than his "hogyoke," or quadrant, I have never seen. I

suppose we carried a chronometer, though I never saw it or heard the cry of "stop," which usually

accompanies a.m. or p.m. "sights" taken for longitude. He used sometimes to make a deliberate sort of haste

below after taking a sight, when he may have been looking at a chronometer perhaps. What I do know about

his procedure is, that he always used a very rough method of equal altitudes, which would make a

mathematician stare and gasp; that his nautical almanac was a tencent one published by some speculative

optician is New York; that he never worked up a "dead reckoning;" and that the extreme limit of time that he

took to work out his observations was ten minutes. In fact, all our operations in seamanship or navigation

were run on the same happygolucky principle. If it was required to "tack" ship, there was no formal parade

and preparation for the manoeuvre, not even as much as would be made in a Goole billy boy. Without any

previous intimation, the helm would be put down, and round she would come, the yards being trimmed by

whoever happened to be nearest to the braces. The old tub seemed to like it that way, for she never missed

stays or exhibited any of that unwillingness to do what she was required that is such a frequent characteristic

of merchantmen. Even getting under way or coming to an anchor was unattended by any of the fuss and

To my great relief we saw no more whales of the kind we were after during our passage round the Cape. The

weather we were having was splendid for making a passage, but to be dodging about among those immense

rollers, or towed athwart them by a wounded whale in so small a craft as one of our whaleboats, did not

have any attractions for me. There was little doubt in any of our minds that, if whales were seen, off we must

go while daylight lasted, let the weather be what it might. So when one morning I went to the wheel, to find

the course N.N.E. instead of E. by N., it may be taken for granted that the change was a considerable relief to

me. It was now manifest that we were bound up into the Indian Ocean, although of course I knew nothing of

the position of the districts where whales were to be looked for. Gradually we crept northward, the weather

improving every day as we left the "roaring forties" astern. While thus making northing we had several fine

catches of porpoises, and saw many rorquals, but sperm whales appeared to have left the locality. However,

the "old man" evidently knew what he was about, as we were not now cruising, but making a direct passage

At last we sighted land, which, from the course which we had been steering, might have been somewhere on

the east coast of Africa, but for the fact that it was right ahead, while we were pointing at the time about

N.N.W. Byandby I came to the conclusion that it must be the southern extremity of Madagascar, Cape St.

Mary, and, by dint of the closest, attention to every word I heard uttered while at the wheel by the officers,

found that my surmise was correct. We skirted this point pretty closely, heading to the westward, and, when

well clear of it, bore up to the northward, again for the Mozambique Channel. Another surprise. The very

idea of WHALING in the Mozambique Channel seemed too ridiculous to mention; yet here we were, guided

by a commander who, whatever his faults, was certainly most keen in his attention to business, and the

unlikeliest man imaginable to take the ship anywhere unless he anticipated a profitable return for his visit.

We had now entered upon what promised to be the most interesting part of our voyage. As a commercial

speculation, I have to admit that the voyage was to me a matter of absolute indifference. Never, from the first

week of my being on board, had I cherished any illusions upon that score, for it was most forcibly impressed

on my mind that, whatever might be the measure of success attending our operations, no one of the crew

forward could hope to benefit by it. The share of profits was so small, and the time taken to earn it so long,

such a number of clothes were worn out and destroyed by us, only to be replaced from the ship's slopchest

at high prices, that I had quite resigned myself to the prospect of leaving the vessel in debt, whenever that

desirable event might happen. Since, therefore, I had never made it a practice to repine at the inevitable, and

make myself unhappy by the contemplation of misfortunes I was powerless to prevent, I tried to interest

myself as far as was possible in gathering information, although at that time I had no idea, beyond a general

thirst for knowledge, that what I was now learning would ever he of any service to me. Yet I had been dull

indeed not to have seen how unique were the opportunities I was now enjoying for observation of some of the

least known and understood aspects of the ocean world and its wonderful inhabitants, to say nothing of visits

to places unvisited, except by such free lances as we were, and about which so little is really known.

The weather of the Mozambique Channel was fairly good, although subject to electric storms of the most

terrible aspect, but perfectly harmless. On the second evening after rounding Cape St. Mary, we were

proceeding, as usual, under very scanty sail, rather enjoying the mild, balmy air, scentladen, from

Madagascar. The moon was shining in tropical splendour, paling the lustre of the attendant stars, and making

the glorious Milky Way but a faint shadow of its usual resplendent road. Gradually from the westward there

arose a murky mass of cloud, fringed at its upper edges with curious tinted tufts of violet, orange, and

crimson. These colours were not brilliant, but plainly visible against the deep blue sky. Slowly and solemnly

the intruding gloom overspread the sweet splendour of the shining sky, creeping like a deathshadow over a

dear face, and making the most talkative feel strangely quiet and ill at ease. As the pall of thick darkness

blotted out the cool light, it seemed to descend until at last we were completely overcanopied by a dome of

velvety black, seemingly low enough to touch the mastheads. A belated seabird's shrill scream but

emphasized the deep silence which lent itself befittingly to the solemnity of nature. Presently thin suggestions

of light, variously tinted, began to thread the inky mass. These grew brighter and more vivid, until at last, in

fantastic contortions, they appeared to rend the swart concave asunder, revealing through the jagged clefts a

lurid waste of the most intensely glowing fire. The coming and going of these amazing brightnesses,

combined with the Egyptian dark between, was completely blinding. So loaded was the still air with

electricity that from every point aloft pale flames streamed upward, giving the ship the appearance of a huge

candelabrum with innumerable branches. One of the hands, who had been ordered aloft on some errand of

securing a loose end, presented a curious sight. He was bareheaded, and from his hair the all pervading fluid

arose, lighting up his features, which were ghastly beyond description. When he lifted his hand, each separate

finger became at once an additional point from which light streamed. There was no thunder, but a low hissing

and a crackling which did not amount to noise, although distinctly audible to all. Sensations most unpleasant

of pricking and general irritation were felt by every one, according to their degree of susceptibility.

After about an hour of this state of things, a low moaning of thunder was heard, immediately followed by a

few drops of rain large as dollars. The mutterings and grumblings increased until, with one peal that made the

ship tremble as though she had just struck a rock at full speed, down came the rain. The windows of heaven

were opened, and no man might stand against the steaming flood that descended by thousands of tons per

minute. How long it continued, I cannot say; probably, in its utmost fierceness, not more than half an hour.

Then it slowly abated, clearing away as it did so the accumulation of gloom overhead, until, before midnight

had struck, all the heavenly host were shedding their beautiful brilliancy upon us again with apparently

increased glory, while the freshness and invigorating feel of the air was inexpressibly delightful.

We did not court danger by hugging too closely any of the ugly reefs and banks that abound in this notably

difficult strait, but gave them all a respectfully wide birth. It was a feature of our navigation that, unless we

had occasion to go near any island or reef for fishing or landing purposes, we always kept a safe margin of

distance away, which probably accounts for our continued immunity from accident while in tortuous waters.

Our anchors and cables were, however, always kept ready for use now, in case of an unsuspected current or

sudden storm; but beyond that precaution, I could see little or no difference in the manner of our primitive

We met with no "luck" for some time, and the faces of the harpooners grew daily longer, the great heat of

those sultry waters trying all tempers sorely. But Captain Slocum knew his business, and his scowling,

impassive face showed no signs of disappointment, or indeed any other emotion, as day by day we crept

farther north. At last we sighted the stupendous peak of Comoro mountain, which towers to nearly nine

thousand feet from the little island which gives its name to the Comoro group of four. On that same day a

school of mediumsized sperm whales were sighted, which appeared to be almost of a different race to those

with which we had hitherto had dealings. They were exceedingly fat and lazy, moving with the greatest

deliberation, and, when we rushed in among them, appeared utterly bewildered and panicstricken, knowing

not which way to flee. Like a flock of frightened sheep they huddled together, aimlessly wallowing in each

other's way, while we harpooned them with the greatest ease and impunity. Even the "old man" himself

lowered the fifth boat, leaving the ship to the carpenter, cooper, cook, and steward, and coming on the scene

as if determined to make a fieldday of the occasion. He was no "slouch" at the business either. Not that there

was much occasion or opportunity to exhibit any prowess. The record of the day's proceedings would be as

tame as to read of a day's work in a slaughterhouse. Suffice it to say, that we actually killed six whales, none

of whom were less than fifty barrels, no boat ran out more than one hundred fathoms of line, neither was a

bomblance used. Not the slightest casualty occurred to any of the boats, and the whole work of destruction

Then came the trouble. The fish were, of course somewhat widely separated when they died, and the task of

collecting all those immense carcasses was one of no ordinary magnitude. Had it not been for the wonderfully

skilful handling of the ship, the task would, I should think, have been impossible, but the way in which she

was worked compelled the admiration of anybody who knew what handling a ship meant. Still, with all the

ability manifested, it was five hours after the last whale died before we had gathered them all alongside,

A complete day under that fierce blaze of the tropical sun, without other refreshment than an occasional

furtive drink of tepid water, had reduced us to a pitiable condition of weakness, so much so that the skipper

judged it prudent, as soon as the flukechains were passed, to give us a couple of hours' rest. As soon as the

sun had set we were all turned to again, three cressets were prepared, and by their blaze we toiled the whole

night through. Truth compels me to state, though, that none of us foremast hands had nearly such heavy work

as the officers on the stage. What they had to do demanded special knowledge and skill; but it was also

terribly hard work, constant and unremitting, while we at the windlass had many a short spell between the

lifting of the pieces. Even the skipper took a hand, for the first time, and right manfully did be do his share,

By the first streak of dawn, three of the whales had been stripped of their blubber, and five heads were

bobbing astern at the ends of as many hawsers. The sea all round presented a wonderful sight. There must

have been thousands of sharks gathered to the feast, and their incessant incursions through the

phosphorescent water wove a dazzling network of brilliant tracks which made the eyes ache to look upon. A

short halt was called for breakfast, which was greatly needed, and, thanks to the cook, was a thoroughly good

one. Heblessings on him!had been busy fishing, as we drifted slowly, with savoury pieces of

whalebeef for bait, and the result was a mess of fish which would have gladdened the heart of an epicure.

Our hunger appeased, it was "turn to" again, for there was now no time to be lost. The fierce heat soon acts

upon the carcass of a dead whale, generating an immense volume of gas within it, which, in a wonderfully

short space of time, turns the flesh putrid and renders the blubber so rotten that it cannot be lifted, nor, if it

could, would it be of any value. So it was no wonder that our haste was great, or that the august arbiter of our

destinies himself condescended to take his place among the toilers. By nightfall the whole of our catch was

on board, excepting such toll as the hungry hordes of sharks had levied upon it in transit. A goodly number of

them had paid the penalty of their rapacity with their lives, for often one would wriggle his way right up on to

the reeking carcass, and, seizing a huge fragment of blubber, strive with might and main to tear it away. Then

the lethal spade would drop upon his soft crown, cleaving it to the jaws, and with one flap of his big tail he

would loose his grip, roll over and over, and sink, surrounded by a writhing crowd of his fellows, by whom

The condition of the CACHALOT's deck was now somewhat akin to chaos. From the cabin door to the

tryworks there was hardly an inch of available space, and the oozing oil kept some of us continually baling it

up, lest it should leak out through the interstices in the bulwarks. In order to avoid a breakdown, it became

necessary to divide the crew into sixhour watches, as although the work was exceedingly urgent on account

of the weather, there were evident signs that some of the crew were perilously near giving in. So we got rest

none too soon, and the good effects of it were soon apparent. The work went on with much more celerity than

one would have thought possible, and soon the lumberedup decks began to resume their normal appearance.

As if to exasperate the "old man" beyond measure on the third day of our operations a great school of sperm

whales appeared, disporting all around the ship, apparently conscious of our helplessness to interfere with

them. Notwithstanding our extraordinary haul, Captain Slocum went black with impotent rage, and, after

glowering at the sportive monsters, beat a retreat below, unable to bear the sight any longer. During his

absence we had a rare treat. The whole school surrounded the ship, and performed some of the strangest

evolutions imaginable. As if instigated by one common impulse, they all elevated their massive heads above

the surface of the sea, and remained for some time in that position, solemnly bobbing up and down amid the

glittering wavelets like movable boulders of black rock. Then, all suddenly reversed themselves, and,

elevating their broad flukes in the air, commenced to beat them slowly and rhythmically upon the water, like

so many machines. Being almost a perfect calm, every movement of the great mammals could be plainly

seen; some of them even passed so near to us that we could see how the lower jaw hung down, while the

For over an hour they thus paraded around us, and then, as if startled by some hidden danger, suddenly

We cruised in the vicinity of the Comoro Islands for two months, never quite out of sight of the mountain

while the weather was clear. During the whole of that time we were never clear of oil on deck, one catch

always succeeding another before there had been time to get cleared up. Eight hundred barrels of oil were

added to our cargo, making the undisciplined hearts of all to whom whaling was a novel employment beat

high with hopes of a speedy completion of the cargo, and consequent return. Poor innocents that we were!

How could we know any better? According to Goliath, with whom I often had a friendly chat, this was quite

"'Way back in de dark ages, w'en de whaleships war de pi'neers ob commerce, 'n day wan't no worryin',

poofityplukity steamboats a poundin' along, 'nough ter galley ebery whale clean eout ob dere skin, dey war

plenty whaleships fill up in twelve, fifteen, twenty monf' after leabin' home. 'N er man bed his pick er places,

toodidn' hab ter go moseyin erroun' like some ol' hobo lookin' fer day's work, 'n prayin' de good Lord not

ter let um fine it. No, sah; roun yer China Sea, coas' Japan, on de line, off shore, Vasquez, 'mong de islan's,

ohmos' anywhar, you couldn' hardly git way from 'em. Neow, I clar ter glory I kaint imagine WAR dey all

gone ter, dough we bin eout only six seven monf' 'n got over tousan bar'l below. But I bin two year on er

voy'ge and doan hardly SEE a sparm while, much less catch one. But"and here he whispered

mysteriously"dish yer ole man's de bery debbil's own chile, 'n his farder lookin' after him welldat's my

'pinion. Only yew keep yer head tight shut, an' nebber say er word, but keep er lookin', 'n sure's death you'll

see." This conversation made a deep and lasting impression upon me, for I had not before heard even so

much as a murmur from an officer against the tyranny of the skipper. Some of the harpooners were fluent

Yet I had often thought that his treatment of them, considering the strenuous nature of their toil, and the

willingness with which they worked as long as they had an ounce of energy left, was worth at least a little

What the period may have been during which whales were plentiful here, I do not know, but it was now May,

and for the last few days we had not seen a solitary spout of any kind. Preparations, very slight it is true, were

made for departure; but before we left those parts we made an interesting call for water at Mohilla, one of the

Comoro group, which brought out, in unmistakable fashion, the wonderful fund of local knowledge

possessed by these men. At the larger ports of Johanna and Mayotte there is a regular tariff of port charges,

which are somewhat heavy, and no whaleman would be so reckless as to incur these unless driven thereto by

the necessity of obtaining provisions; otherwise, the islands offer great inducements to whaling captains to

call, since none but men hopelessly mad would venture to desert in such places. That qualification is the chief

Our skipper, however, saw no necessity for entering any port. Running up under the lee of Mohilla, we

followed the land along until we came to a tiny bight on the western side of the island, an insignificant inlet

which no mariner in charge of a vessel like ours could be expected even to notice, unless he were surveying.

The approaches to this tiny harbour (save the mark) were very forbidding. Uglylooking rocks showed up

here and there, the surf over them frequently blinding the whole entry. But we came along, in our usual

leisurely fashion, under two topsails, spanker, and foretopmast staysail, and took that ugly passage like a

sailing barge entering the Medway. There was barely room to turn round when we got inside, but all sail had

been taken off her except the spanker, so that her way was almost stopped by the time she was fairly within

the harbour. Down went the anchor, and she was fastanchored for the first time since leaving New Bedford

seven months before. Here we were shut out entirely from the outer world, for I doubt greatly whether even a

passing dhow could have seen us from seaward. We were not here for rest, however, but wood and water; so

while one party was supplied with wellsharpened axes, and sent on shore to cut down such small trees as

would serve our turn, another party was busily employed getting out a number of big casks for the serious

business of watering. The cooper knocked off the second or quarter hoops from each of these casks, and

drove them on again with two "beckets" or loops of rope firmly jammed under each of them in such a manner

that the loops were in line with each other on each side of the bunghole. They were then lowered overboard,

and a long rope rove through all the beckets. When this was done, the whole number of casks floated end to

end, upright and secure. We towed them ashore to where, by the skipper's directions, at about fifty yards from

highwater mark, a spring of beautiful water bubbled out of the side of a mass of rock, losing itself in a deep

crevice below. Lovely ferns, rare orchids, and trailing plants of many kinds surrounded this fairy like spot in

the wildest profusion, making a tangle of greenery that we had considerable trouble to clear away. Having

done so, we led a long canvas hose from the spot whence the water flowed down to the shore where the casks

floated. The chief officer, with great ingenuity, rigged up an arrangement whereby the hose, which had a

square month about a foot wide, was held up to the rock, saving us the labour of bailing and filling by hand.

So we were able to rest and admire at our ease the wonderful variety of beautiful plants which grew here so

lavishly, unseen by mortal eye from one year's end to another. I have somewhere read that the Creator has

delight in the beautiful work of His will, wherever it may be; and that while our egotism wonders at the waste

of beauty, as we call it, there is no waste at all, since the Infinite Intelligence can dwell with complacency

All too soon the pleasant occupation came to an end. The long row of casks, filled to the brim and tightly

bunged, were towed off by us to the ship, and ranged alongside. A tackle and pair of "canhooks " was

overhauled to the water and hooked to a cask. "Hoist away!" And as the cask rose, the beckets that had held it

to the motherrope were cut, setting it quite free to come on board, but leaving all the others still secure. In

this way we took in several thousand gallons of water in a few hours, with a small expenditure of labour, free

of cost; whereas, had we gone into Mayotte or Johanna, the water would have been bad, the price high, the

The woodmen had a much more arduous task. The only wood they could find, without cutting down big

trees, which would have involved far too much labour in cutting up, was a kind of iron wood, which,

besides being very heavy, was so hard as to take pieces clean out of their axeedges, when a blow was struck

directly across the grain. As none of them were experts, the condition of their tools soon made their work

very hard. But that they had taken several axes in reserve, it is doubtful whether they would have been able to

get sufficient fuel for our purpose. When they pitched the wood off the rocks into the harbour, it sank

immediately, giving them a great deal of trouble to fish it up again. Neither could they raft it as intended, but

were compelled to lend it into the boats and make several journeys to and fro before all they had cut was

shipped. Altogether, I was glad that the wooding had not fallen to my share. On board the ship fishing had

been going on steadily most of the day by a few hands told off for the purpose. The result of their sport was

splendid, over two hundredweight of fine fish of various sorts, but all eatable, having been gathered in.

We lay snugly anchored all night, keeping a bright lookout for any unwelcome visitors either from land or

sea, for the natives are not to be trusted, neither do the Arab mongrels who cruise about those waters in their

dhows bear any too good a reputation. We saw none, however, and at daylight we weighed and towed the

ship out to sea with the boats, there being no wind. While busy at this uninteresting pastime, one of the boats

slipped away, returning presently with a fine turtle, which they had surprised during his morning's nap. One

of the amphibious Portuguese slipped over the boat's side as she neared the sleeping SPHARGA, and, diving

deep, came up underneath him, seizing with crossed hands the two hind flippers, and, with a sudden,

dexterous twist, turned the astonished creature over on his back. Thus rendered helpless, the turtle lay on the

surface feebly waving his flippers, while his captor, gently treading water, held him in that position till the

boat reached the pair and took them on board. It was a clever feat, neatly executed, as unlike the clumsy

efforts I had before seen made with the same object as anything could possibly be.

After an hour's tow, we had got a good offing, and a light air springing up, we returned on board, hoisted the

With the exception of the numerous native dhows that crept lazily about, we saw no vessels as we gradually

drew out of the Mozambique Channel and stood away towards the Line. The part of the Indian Ocean in

which we now found ourselves is much dreaded by merchantmen, who give it a wide berth on account of the

numerous banks, islets, and dangerous currents with which it abounds. We, however, seemed quite at home

here, pursuing the even tenor of our usual way without any special precautions being taken. A bright

lookout, we always kept, of coursenone of your drowsy lolling about such as is all too common on the

"fo'lk'sle head" of many a fine ship, when, with lights half trimmed or not shown at all, she is ploughing

along blindly at twelve knots or so an hour. No; while we were under way during daylight, four pairs of keen

eyes kept incessant vigil a hundred feet above the deck, noting everything, even to a shoal of small fish, that

crossed within the range of vision. At night we scarcely moved, but still a vigilant lookout was always kept

both fore and aft, so that it would have been difficult for us to drift upon a reef unknowingly.

Creeping steadily northward, we passed the Cosmoledo group of atolls without paying them a visit, which

was strange, as, from their appearance, no better fishingground would be likely to come in our way. They

are little known, except to the wandering fishermen from Reunion and Rodriguez, who roam about these

islets and reefs, seeking anything that may be turned into coin, from wrecks to turtle, and in nowise particular

as to rights of ownership. When between the Cosmoledos and Astove, the next island to the northward, we

sighted a "solitary" cachalot one morning just as the day dawned. It was the first for some time nearly

three weeksand being all well seasoned to the work now, we obeyed the call to arms with great alacrity.

Our friend was making a passage, turning neither to the right hand nor the left as he went. His risings and

number of spouts while up, as well as the time he remained below, were as regular as the progress of a clock,

Bearing in mind, I suppose, the general character of the whales we had recently met with, only two boats

were lowered to attack the newcomer, who, all unconscious of our coming, pursued his leisurely course

We got a good weather gage of him, and came flying on as usual getting two irons planted in fine style. But a

surprise awaited us. As we sheered up into the wind away from him, Louis shouted, "Fightin' whale, sir; look

out for de rush!" Look out, indeed? Small use in looking out when, hampered as we always were at first with

the unshipping of the mast, we could do next to nothing to avoid him. Without any of the desperate

flounderings generally indulged in on first feeling the iron, he turned upon us, and had it not been that he

caught sight of the second mate's boat, which had just arrived, and turned his attentions to her, there would

have been scant chance of any escape for us. Leaping half out of water, he made direct for our comrades with

a vigour and ferocity marvellous to see, making it a no easy matter for them to avoid his tremendous rush.

Our actions, at no time slow, were considerably hastened by this display of valour, so that before he could

turn his attentions in our direction we were ready for him. Then ensued a really big fight, the first, in fact, of

my experience, for none of the other whales had shown any serious determination to do us an injury, but had

devoted all their energies to attempts at escape. So quick were the evolutions, and so savage the appearance

of this fellow, that even our veteran mate looked anxious as to the possible result. Without attempting to

"sound," the furious monster kept mostly below the surface; but whenever he rose, it was either to deliver a

fearful blow with his tail, or, with jaws widespread, to try and bite one of our boats in half. Well was it for us

that he was severely handicapped by a malformation of the lower jaw. At a short distance from the throat it

turned off nearly at right angles to his body, the part that thus protruded sideways being deeply fringed with

Had it not been for this impediment, I verily believe he would have beaten us altogether. As it was, he

worked us nearly to death with his ugly rushes. Once he delivered a sidelong blow with his tail, which, as we

spun round, shore off the two oars on that side as if they had been carrots. At last the second mate got fast to

him, and then the character of the game changed again. Apparently unwearied by his previous exertions, he

now started off to windward at top speed, with the two boats sheering broadly out upon either side of his

foaming wake. Doubtless because he himself was much fatigued, the mate allowed him to run at his will,

without for the time attempting to haul any closer to him, and very grateful the short rest was to us. But he

had not gone a couple of miles before he turned a complete somersault in the water, coming up BEHIND us

to rush off again in the opposite direction at undiminished speed. This move was a startler. For the moment it

seemed as if both boats would be smashed like eggshells against each other, or else that some of us would

be impaled upon the long lances with which each boat's bow bristled. By what looked like a handbreadth, we

cleared each other, and the race continued. Up till now we had not succeeded in getting home a single lance,

the foe was becoming warier, while the strain was certainly telling upon our nerves. So Mr. Count got out his

bombgun, shouting at the same time to Mr. Cruce to do the same. They both hated these weapons, nor ever

Our chief had hardly got his gun ready, before we came to almost a dead stop. All, was silent for just a

moment; then, with a roar like a cataract, up sprang the huge creature, head out, jaw wide open, coming direct

for us. As coolly as if on the quarter deck, the mate raised his gun, firing the bomb directly down the great

livid cavern of a throat fronting him. Down went that mountainous head not six inches from us, but with a

perfectly indescribable motion, a tremendous writhe, in fact; up flew the broad tail in air, and a blow which

might have sufficed to stave in the side of the ship struck the second mate's boat fairly amidships. It was right

before my eyes, not sixty feet away, and the sight will haunt me to my death. The tub oarsman was the poor

German baker, about whom I have hitherto said nothing, except to note that he was one of the crew. That

awful blow put an end summarily to all his earthly anxieties. As it shore obliquely through the centre of the

boat, it drove his poor body right through her timbersan undistinguishable bundle of what was an instant

before a human being. The other members of the crew escaped the blow, and the harpooner managed to cut

the line, so that for the present they were safe enough, clinging to the remains of their boat, unless the whale

Happily, his rushing was almost over. The bomb fired by Mr. Count, with such fatal result to poor

Bamberger, must have exploded right in the whale's throat. Whether his previous titanic efforts had

completely exhausted him, or whether the bomb had broken his massive backbone, I do not know, of course,

but he went into no flurry, dying as peacefully as his course had been furious. For the first time in my life, I

had been face to face with a violent death, and I was quite stunned with the awfulness of the experience.

Mechanically, as it seemed to me, we obeyed such orders as were given, but every man's thoughts were with

the shipmate so suddenly dashed from amongst us. We never saw sign of him again.

While the ship was running down to us, another boat had gone to rescue the clinging crew of the shattered

boat, for the whole drama had been witnessed from the ship, although they were not aware of the death of the

poor German. When the sad news was told on board, there was a deep silence, all work being carried on so

quietly that we seemed like a crew of dumb men. With a sentiment for which I should not have given our

grim skipper credit, the stars and stripes were hoisted halfmast, telling the silent sky and moaning sea, sole

witnesses besides ourselves, of the sudden departure from among us of our poor shipmate. We got the whale

cut in as usual without any incident worth mentioning, except that the peculiar shape of the jaw made it an

object of great curiosity to all of us who were new to the whale fishing. Such malformations are not very

rare. They are generally thought to occur when the animal is young, and its bones soft; but whether done in

fighting with one another, or in some more mysterious way, nobody knows. Cases have been known, I

believe, where the deformed whale does not appear to have suffered from lack of food in consequence of his

disability; but in each of the three instances which have come under my own notice, such was certainly not

the case. These whales were what is termed by the whalers "dryskins;" that is, they were in poor condition,

the blubber yielding less than half the usual quantity of oil. The absence of oil makes it very hard to cut up,

and there is more work in one whale of this kind than in two whose blubber is rich and soft. Another thing

which I have also noticed is, that these whales were much more difficult to tackle than others, for each of

them gave us something special to remember them by. But I must not get ahead of my yarn.

The end of the week brought us up to the Aldabra Islands, one of the puzzles of the world. For here, in these

tiny pieces of earth, surrounded by thousands of miles of sea, the nearest land a group of islets like unto them,

is found the gigantic tortoise, and in only one other place in the wide world, the Galapagos group of islands in

the South Pacific. How, or by what strange freak of Dame Nature these curious reptiles, sole survivals of

another age, should come to be found in this lonely spot, is a deep mystery, and one not likely to he unfolded

now. At any rate, there they are, looking as if some of them might be coeval with Noah, so venerable and

We made the island early on a Sunday morning, and, with the usual celerity, worked the vessel into the fine

harbour, called, from one of the exploring ships, Euphrates Bay or Harbour. The anchor down, and

everything made snug below and aloft, we were actually allowed a run ashore free from restraint. I could

hardly believe my ears. We had got so accustomed to our slavery that liberty was become a mere name; we

hardly knew what to do with it when we got it. However, we soon got used (in a very limited sense) to being

our own masters, and, each following the bent of his inclinations, set out for a ramble. My companion and I

had not gone far, when we thought we saw one of the boulders, with which the island was liberally

besprinkled, on the move. Running up to examine it with all the eagerness of children let out of school, we

found it to be one of the inhabitants, a monstrous tortoise. I had some big turtle around the cays of the Gulf of

Mexico, but this creature dwarfed them all. We had no means of actually measuring him, and had to keep

clear of his formidablelooking jaws, but roughly, and within the mark, he was four feet long by two feet six

inches wide. Of course he was much more domeshaped than the turtle are, and consequently looked a great

deal bigger than a turtle of the same measurement would, besides being much thicker through. As he was loth

to stay with us, we made up our minds to go with him, for he was evidently making for some definite spot, by

the tracks he was following, which showed plainly how many years that same road had been used. Well, I

mounted on his back, keeping well astern, out of the reach of that seriouslooking head, which having rather

a long neck, looked as if it might be able to reach round and take a piece out of a fellow without any trouble.

He was perfectly amicable, continuing his journey as if nothing had happened, and really getting over the

ground at a good rate, considering the bulk and shape of him. Except for the novelty of the thing, this sort of

ride had nothing to recommend it; so I soon tired of it, and let him waddle along in peace. By following the

tracks aforesaid, we arrived at a fine stream of water sparkling out of a hillside, and running down a little

ravine. The sides of this gully were worn quite smooth by the innumerable feet of the tortoises, about a dozen

of which were now quietly crouching at the water's edge, filling themselves up with the cooling fluid. I did

not see the patriarch upon whom a sailor once reported that he had read the legend carved, "The Ark, Captain

Noah, Ararat for orders"; perhaps he had at last closed his peaceful career. But strange, and quaint as this

exhibition of ancient reptiles was, we had other and better employment for the limited time at our disposal.

There were innumerable curious things to see, and, unless we were to run the risk of going on board again

and stopping there, dinner must be obtained. Eggs of various kinds were exceedingly plentiful; in many

But previous experience of boobies' eggs in other places had not disposed me to seek them where others were

to be obtained, and as I had seen many of the wellknown frigate or mano'war birds hovering about, we

These peculiar birds are, I think, misnamed. They should be called pirate or buccaneer birds, from their

marauding habits. Seldom or never do they condescend to fish for themselves, preferring to hover high in the

blue, their tails opening and closing like a pair of scissors as they hang poised above the sea. Presently

boobylike some honest housewife who has been a marketingcomes flapping noisily home, her maw

laden with fish for the chicks. Down comes the black watcher from above with a swoop like an eagle. Booby

puts all she knows into her flight, but vainly; escape is impossible, so with a despairing shriek she drops her

load. Before it has touched the water the graceful thief has intercepted it, and soared slowly aloft again, to

When we arrived on the outer shore of the island, we found a large breedingplace of these birds, but totally

different to the haunt of the boobies. The nests, if they might be so called, being at best a few twigs, were

mostly in the hollows of the rocks, the number of eggs being two to a nest, on an average. The eggs were

nearly as large as a turkey's. But I am reminded of the range of size among turkeys' eggs, so I must say they

were considerably larger than a small turkey's egg. Their flavour was most delicate, as much so as the eggs of

a moorfed fowl. We saw no birds sitting, but here and there the gaunt skeleton forms of birds, who by

reason of sickness or old age were unable to provide for themselves, and so sat waiting for death, appealed

most mournfully to us. We went up to some of these poor creatures, and ended their long agony; but there

We saw no animals larger than a rat, but there were a great many of those eerielooking landcrabs, that

seemed as if almost humanly intelligent as they scampered about over the sand or through the undergrowth,

busy about goodness knows what. The beautiful cocoanut palm was plentiful, so much so that I wondered

why there were no settlers to collect "copra," or dried cocoanut, for oil. My West Indian experience came in

handy now, for I was able to climb a lofty tree in native fashion, and cut down a grand bunch of green nuts,

which form one of the most refreshing and nutritious of foods, as well as a cool and delicious drink. We had

no line with us, so we took off our belts, which, securely joined together, answered my purpose very well.

With them I made a loop round the tree and myself; then as I climbed I pushed the loop up with me, so that

whenever I wanted a rest, I had only to lean back in it, keeping my knees against the trunk, and I was almost

After getting the nuts, we made a fire and roasted some of our eggs, which, with a biscuit or two, made a

delightful meal. Then we fell asleep under a shady tree, upon some soft moss; nor did we wake again until

nearly time to go on board. A most enjoyable swim terminated our day's outing, and we returned to the beach

We had no adventures, found no hidden treasure or ferocious animals, but none the less we thoroughly

enjoyed ourselves. While we sat waiting for the boat to come and fetch us off, we saw a couple of goodsized

turtle come ashore quite close to us. We kept perfectly still until we were sure of being able to intercept them.

As soon as they had got far enough away from their native element, we rushed upon them, and captured them

both, so that when the boat arrived we were not emptyhanded. We had also a "jumper," or blouse, full of

eggs, and a couple of immense bunches of cocoanuts. When we got on board we felt quite happy, and, for

the first time since leaving America, we had a little singing. Shall I be laughed at when I confess that our

musical efforts were confined to Sankey's hymns? Maybe, but I do not care. Cheap and claptrap as the

music may be, it tasted "real good," as Abner said, and I am quite sure that that Sunday night was the best

A long, sound sleep was terminated at dawn, when we weighed and stood out through a narrow passage by

East Island, which was quite covered with fine treesof what kind I do not know, but they presented a

beautiful sight. Myriads of birds hovered about, busy fishing from the countless schools that rippled the

placid sea. Beneath us, at twenty fathoms, the wonderful architecture of the coral was plainly visible through

the brilliantlyclear sea, while, wherever the tiny builders had raised their fairy domain near the surface, an

occasional roller would crown it with a snowy garland of foama dazzling patch of white against the

sapphire sea. Altogether, such a panorama was spread out at our feet, as we stood gazing from the lofty

crow's nest, as was worth a year or two of city life to witness. I could not help pitying my companion, one

of the Portuguese harpooners, who stolidly munched his quid with no eyes for any of these glorious pictures,

My silent rhapsodies were rudely interrupted by something far away on the horizon. Hardly daring to breathe,

I strained my eyes, andyes, it was"Ah blowwww!" I bellowed at the top of my lungpower, never

before had I had the opportunity of thus distinguishing myself, and I felt a bit sore about it.

There was a little obliquity about the direction of the spout that made me hopeful, for the cachalot alone

sends his spout diagonally upward, all the others spout vertically. It was but a school of kogia, or

"shortheaded" cachalots; but as we secured five of them, averaging seven barrels each, with scarcely any

trouble, I felt quite pleased with myself. We had quite an exciting bit of sport with them, they were so lively;

but as for dangerwell, they only seemed like big "black fish" to us now, and we quite enjoyed the fun.

They were, in all respects, miniature sperm whales, except that the head was much shorter and smaller in

Hitherto, with the exception of a couple of gales in the North and South Atlantic, we had been singularly

I remember once making a round voyage from Cardiff to Hong Kong and the Philippines, back to London, in

ten months, and during the whole of that time we did not have a downright gale. The worst weather we

encountered was between Beachy Head and Portland, going round from London to Cardiff.

And I once spoke the barque LUTTERWORTH, a companion ship to us from Portland, Oregon to Falmouth,

whose mate informed me that they carried their royals from port to port without ever furling them once,

except to shift the suit of sails. But now a change was evidently imminent. Of course, we forward had no

access to the barometer; not that we should have understood its indications if we had seen it, but we all knew

that something was going to be radically wrong with the weather. For instead of the lovely blue of the sky we

had been so long accustomed to by day and night, a nasty, greasy shade had come over the heavens, which,

reflected in the sea, made that look dirty and stale also. That wellknown appearance of the waves before a

storm was also very marked, which consists of an undecided sort of break in their tops. Instead of running

regularly, they seemed to hunch themselves up in little heaps, and throw off a tiny flutter of spray, which

generally fell in the opposite direction to what little wind there was. The pigs and fowls felt the approaching

change keenly, and manifested the greatest uneasiness, leaving their food and acting strangely. We were

making scarcely any headway, so that the storm was longer making its appearance than it would have been

had we been a swift clipper ship running down the Indian Ocean. For two days we were kept in suspense; but

on the second night the gloom began to deepen, the wind to moan, and a very uncomfortable "jobble" of a sea

got up. Extra, "gaskets" were put upon the sails, and everything movable about the decks was made as secure

as it could be. Only the two closereefed topsails and two storm staysails were carried, so that we were in

excellent trim for fighting the bad weather when it did come. The sky gradually darkened and assumed a livid

The wind blew fitfully in short, gusts, veering continually back and forth over about a quarter of the compass.

Although it was still light, it kept up an incessant mournful moan not to be accounted for in any way. Darker

and darker grew the heavens, although no clouds were visible, only a general pall of darkness. Glimmering

lightnings played continually about the eastern horizon, but not brilliant enough to show us the approaching

stormcloud. And so came the morning of the third day from the beginning of the change. But for the clock

we should hardly have known that day had broken, so gloomy and dark was the sky. At last light came in the

east, but such a light as no one would wish to see. It was a lurid glare, such as may be seen playing over a

cupola of Bessemer steel when the speigeleisen is added, only on such an extensive scale that its brilliancy

was dulled into horror. Then, beneath it we saw the mountainous clouds fringed with dull violet and with

jagged sabres of lightning darting from their solid black bosoms. The wind began to rise steadily but rapidly,

so that by eight a.m. it was blowing a furious gale from E.N.E. In direction it was still unsteady, the ship

coming up and falling off to it several points. Now, great masses of torn, ragged cloud hurtled past us above,

so low down as almost to touch the mastheads. Still the wind increased, still the sea rose, till at last the

skipper judged it well to haul down the tiny triangle of storm staysail still set (the topsail and fore staysail

had been furled long before), and let her drift under bare poles, except for three square feet of stout canvas in

the weather mizenrigging. The roar of the wind now dominated every sound, so that it might have been

thundering furiously, but we should not have heard it. The ship still maintained her splendid character as a

seaboat, hardly shipping a drop of water; but she lay over at a most distressing angle, her deck sloping off

fully thirtyfive to forty degrees. Fortunately she did not roll to windward. It may have been raining in

perfect torrents, but the tempest tore off the surface of the sea, and sent it in massive sheets continually flying

over us, so that we could not possibly have distinguished between fresh water and salt.

The chief anxiety was for the safety of the boats. Early on the second day of warning they had been hoisted to

the topmost notch of the cranes, and secured as thoroughly as experience could suggest; but at every lee lurch

we gave it seemed as if we must dip them under water, while the wind threatened to stave the weather ones in

by its actual solid weight. It was now blowing a furious cyclone, the force of which has never been accurately

gauged (even by the present elaborate instruments of various kinds in use). That force is, however, not to be

imagined by any one who has not witnessed it, except that one notable instance is on record by which

Captain Toynbee, the late highly respected and admired Marine Superintendent of the British Meteorological

Office, has told us how, during a cyclone which he rode out in the HOTSPUR at Sandheads, the mouth of the

Hooghly, the three naked topgallant masts of his ship, though of welltested timber a foot in diameter, and

supported by all the usual network of stays, and without the yards, were snapped off and carried away solely

by the violence of the wind. It must, of course, have been an extreme gust, which did not last many seconds,

for no cable that was ever forged would have held the ship against such a cataclysm as that. This gentleman's

integrity is above suspicion, so that no exaggeration could be charged against him, and he had the additional

The terrible day wore on, without any lightening of the tempest, till noon, when the wind suddenly fell to a

calm. Until that time, the sea, although heavy, was not vicious or irregular, and we had not shipped any heavy

water at all. But when the force of the wind was suddenly withdrawn, such a sea arose as I have never seen

before or since. Inky mountains of water raised their savage heads in wildest confusion, smashing one

another in whirlpools of foam. It was like a picture of the primeval deep out of which arose the newborn

world. Suddenly out of the whirling blackness overhead the moon appeared, nearly in the zenith, sending

down through the apex of a dome of torn and madly gyrating cloud a flood of brilliant light. Illumined by that

startling radiance, our staunch and seaworthy ship was tossed and twirled in the hideous vortex of mad sea

until her motion was distracting. It was quite impossible to loose one's hold and attempt to do anything

without running the imminent risk of being dashed to pieces. Our decks were full of water now, for it tumbled

on board at all points; but as yet no serious weight of a sea had fallen upon us, nor had any damage been

done. Such a miracle as that could not be expected to continue for long. Suddenly a warning shout rang out

from somewhere"Hold on all, for your lives!" Out of the hideous turmoil around arose, like some black,

fantastic ruin, an awful heap of water. Higher and higher it towered, until it was level with our lower yards,

then it broke and fell upon us. All was blank. Beneath that mass every thought, every feeling, fled but

one"How long shall I be able to hold my breath?" After what seemed a neverending time, we emerged

from the wave more dead than alive, but with the good ship still staunch underneath us, and Hope's lamp

burning brightly. The moon had been momentarily obscured, but now shone out again, lighting up brilliantly

our bravelybattling ship. But, alas for others!men, like ourselves, whose hopes were gone. Quite near us

was the battered remainder of what had been a splendid ship. Her masts were gone, not even the stumps being

visible, and it seemed to our eager eyes as if she was settling down. It was even so, for as we looked,

unmindful of our own danger, she quietly disappearedswallowed up with her human freight in a moment,

While we looked with hardly beating hearts at the place where she had sunk, all was blotted out in thick

darkness again. With a roar, as of a thousand thunders, the tempest came once more, but from the opposite

direction now. As we were under no sail, we ran little risk of being caught aback; but, even had we, nothing

could have been done, the vessel being utterly out of control, besides the impossibility of getting about. It so

happened, however, that when the storm burst upon us again, we were stern on to it, and we drove steadily

for a few moments until we had time to haul to the wind again. Great heavens! how it blew! Surely, I thought,

this cannot last longjust as we sometimes say of the rain when it is extra heavy. It did last, however, for

what seemed an interminable time, although any one could see that the sky was getting kindlier. Gradually,

imperceptibly, it took off, the sky cleared, and the tumult ceased, until a new day broke in untellable beauty

Years afterwards I read, in one of the handbooks treating of hurricanes and cyclones, that "in the centre of

these revolving storms the sea is so violent that few ships can pass through it and live." That is true talk. I

have been there, and bear witness that but for the build and seakindliness of the CACHALOT, she could not

have come out of that horrible cauldron again, but would have joined that nameless unfortunate whom we

saw succumb, "never again heard of." As it was, we found two of the boats stove in, whether by breaking sea

or crushing wind nobody knows. Most of the planking of the bulwarks was also gone, burst outward by the

weight of the water on deck. Only the normal quantity of water was found in the well on sounding, and not

even a ropeyarn was gone from aloft. Altogether, we came out of the ordeal triumphantly, where many a

gallant vessel met her fate, and the behaviour of the grand old tub gave me a positive affection for her, such

There was now a big heap of work for the carpenter, so the skipper decided to run in for the Cocos or Keeling

islands, in order to lay quietly and refit. We had now only three boats sound, the one smashed when poor

Bamberger died being still unfinishedof course, the repairs had practically amounted to rebuilding.

Therefore we kept away for this strange assemblage of reefs and islets, arriving off them early the next day.

They consist of a true "atoll," or basin, whose rim is of coral reefs, culminating occasionally in sandy islands

or cays formed by the accumulated debris washed up from the reef below, and then clothed upon with all

These islands have lately been so fully described in many different journals, that I shall not burden the reader

with any twicetold tales about them, but merely chronicle the fact that for a week we lay at anchor off one

of the outlying cays, toiling continuously to get the vessel again in fighting trim.

At last the overworked carpenter and his crew got through their heavy task, and the order was given to "man

the windlass." Up came the anchor, and away we went again towards what used to be a noted haunt of the

sperm whale, the Seychelle Archipelego. Before the French, whose flag flies over these islands, had with

their usual shortsighted policy, clapped on prohibitive port charges, Mahe was a specially favoured place of

call for the whalers. But when whaleships find that it does not pay to visit a place, being under no

compulsion as regards time, they soon find other harbours that serve their turn. We, of course, had no need to

visit any port for some time to come, having made such good use of our opportunities at the Cocos.

We found whales scarce and small, so, although we cruised in this vicinity for nearly two months, six small

cow cachalots were all we were able to add to our stock, representing less then two hundred barrels of oil.

This was hardly good enough for Captain Slocum. Therefore, we gradually drew away from this beautiful

cluster of islands, and crept across the Indian Ocean towards the Straits of Malacca. On the way, we one night

encountered that strange phenomenon, a "milk" sea. It was a lovely night, with scarcely any wind, the stars

trying to make up for the absence of the moon by shining with intense brightness. The water had been more

phosphorescent than usual, so that every little fish left a track of light behind him, greatly disproportionate to

his size. As the night wore on, the sea grew brighter and brighter, until by midnight we appeared to be sailing

on an ocean of lambent flames. Every little wave that broke against the ship's side sent up a shower of

diamondlike spray, wonderfully beautiful to see, while a passing school of porpoises fairly set the sea

blazing as they leaped and gambolled in its glowing waters. Looking up from sea to sky, the latter seemed

quite black instead of blue, and the lustre of the stars was diminished till they only looked like points of

polished steel, having quite lost for the time their radiant sparkle. In that shining flood the blackness of the

ship stood out in startling contrast, and when we looked over the side our faces were strangely lit up by the

For several hours this beautiful appearance persisted, fading away at last as gradually as it came. No

satisfactory explanation of this curious phenomenon has ever been given, nor does it appear to portend any

change of weather. It cannot be called a rare occurrence, although I have only seen it thrice myself once in

the Bay of Cavite, in the Philippine Islands; once in the Pacific, near the Solomon Islands; and on this

occasion of which I now write. But no one who had ever witnessed it could forget so wonderful a sight.

One morning, a week after are had taken our departure from the Seychelles, the officer at the main

crow'snest reported a vessel of some sort about five miles to the windward. Something strange in her

appearance made the skipper haul up to intercept her. As we drew nearer, we made her out to be a Malay

"prahu;" but, by the look of her, she was deserted. The big threecornered sail that had been set, hung in

tattered festoons from the long, slender yard, which, without any gear to steady it, swung heavily to and fro as

the vessel rolled to the long swell. We drew closer and closer, but no sign of life was visible on board, so the

In two minutes we were speeding away towards her, and, making a sweep round her stern, prepared to board

her. But we were met by a stench so awful that Mr. Count would not proceed, and at once returned to the

ship. The boat was quickly hoisted again, and the ship manoeuvred to pass close to windward of the derelict.

Then, from our masthead, a horrible sight became visible. Lying about the weatherbeaten deck, in various

postures, were thirteen corpses, all far advanced in decay, which horrible fact fully accounted for the

intolerable stench that had driven us away. It is, perhaps, hardly necessary to say that we promptly hauled our

wind, and placed a good distance between us and that awful load of death as soon as possible. Poor wretches!

What terrible calamity had befallen them, we could not guess; whatever it was, it had been complete; nor

would any sane man falling across them run the risk of closer examination into details than we had done. It

was a great pity that we were not able to sink the prahu with her ghastly cargo, and so free the air from that

Next day, and for a whole week after, we had a stark calm such a calm as one realizes who reads

sympathetically that magical piece of work, the "Ancient Mariner." What an amazing instance of the triumph

of the human imagination! For Coleridge certainly never witnessed such a scene as he there describes with an

accuracy of detail that is astounding. Very few sailors have noticed the sickening condition of the ocean when

the lifegiving breeze totally fails for any length of time, or, if they have, they have said but little about it. Of

course, some parts of the sea show the evil effects of stagnation much sooner than others; but, generally

speaking, want of wind at sea, if long continued, produces a condition of things dangerous to the health of

any land near by. Whaleships, penetrating as they do to parts carefully avoided by ordinary trading vessels,

often afford their crews an opportunity of seeing things mostly hidden from the sight of man, when, actuated

by some mysterious impulse, the uncanny denizens of the middle depths of the ocean rise to higher levels,

It has often been a matter for considerable surprise to me, that while the urban population of Great Britain is

periodically agitated over the great seaserpent question, sailors, as a class, have very little to say on the

subject. During a considerable sea experience in all classes of vessels, except menofwar, and in most

positions, I have heard a fairly comprehensive catalogue of subjects brought under dogwatch discussion; but

The reasons for this abstinence may vary a great deal, but chief among them issailors, as a class, "don't

believe in no such a pusson." More than that, they do believe that the mythical sea serpent is "boomed" at

certain periods, in the lack of other subjects, which may not be far from the fact. But there is also another

reason, involving a disagreeable, although strictly accurate, statement. Sailors are, again taken as a class, the

least observant of men. They will talk by the hour of trivialities about which they know nothing; they will

spin interminable "cuffers" of debaucheries ashore all over the world; pick to pieces the reputation of all the

officers with whom they have ever sailed; but of the glories, marvels, and mysteries of the mighty deep you

will hear not a word. I can never forget when on my first voyage to the West Indies, at the age of twelve, I

was one night smitten with awe and wonder at the sight of a vast halo round the moon, some thirty or forty

degrees in diameter. Turning to the man at the wheel, I asked him earnestly "what THAT was." He looked up

with an uninterested eye for an instant in the direction of my finger, then listlessly informed me, "That's what

they call a sarcle." For a long time I wondered what he could mean, but it gradually dawned upon me that it

was his Norfolk pronunciation of the word "circle." The definition was a typical one, no worse than would be

given by the great majority of seamen of most of the natural phenomena they witness daily. Very few seamen

could distinguish between one whale and another of a different species, or give an intelligible account of the

most ordinary and oftenseen denizens of the sea. Whalers are especially to be blamed for their blindness.

"Eyes and no Eyes; or the Art of Seeing" has evidently been little heard of among them. To this day I can

conceive of no more delightful journey for a naturalist to take than a voyage in a southern whaler, especially

if he were allowed to examine at his leisure such creatures as were caught. But on board the CACHALOT I

could get no information at all upon the habits of the strange creatures we met with, except whales, and very

I have before referred to the great molluscs upon which the sperm whale feeds, portions of which I so

frequently saw ejected from the stomach of dying whales. Great as my curiosity naturally was to know more

of these immense organisms, all my inquiries on the subject were fruitless. These veterans of the

whalefishery knew that the sperm whale lived on big cuttlefish; but they neither knew, nor cared to know,

anything more about these marvellous molluscs. Yet, from the earliest dawn of history, observant men have

been striving to learn something definite about the marine monsters of which all old legends of the sea have

As I mentioned in the last chapter, we were gradually edging across the Indian Ocean towards Sumatra, but

had been checked in our course by a calm lasting a whole week. A light breeze then sprang up, aided by

which we crept around Achin Head, the northern point of the great island of Sumatra. Like some gigantic

beacon, the enormous mass of the Golden Mountain dominated the peaceful scene. Pulo Way, or Water

Island, looked very inviting, and I should have been glad to visit a place so well known to seamen by sight,

but so little known by actual touching at. Our recent stay at the Cocos, however, had settled the question of

our calling anywhere else for some time decidedly in the negative, unless we might be compelled by

accident; moreover, even in these days of law and order, it is not wise to go poking about among the islands

of the Malayan seas unless you are prepared to fight. Our mission being to fight whales, we were averse to

It would at first sight appear strange that, in view of the enormous traffic of steamships through the Malacca

Straits, so easily "gallied" a creature as the cachalot should care to frequent its waters; indeed, I should

certainly think that a great reduction in the numbers of whales found there must have taken place. But it must

also be remembered, that in modern steam navigation certain welldefined courses are laid down, which

vessels follow from point to point with hardly any deviation therefrom, and that consequently little

disturbance of the sea by their panting propellers takes place, except upon these marine pathways; as, for

instance, in the Red Sea, where the examination of thousands of logbooks proved conclusively that, except

upon straight lines drawn from point to point between Suez to Perim, the sea is practically unused today.

The few Arab dhows and loitering surveying ships hardly count in this connection, of course. At any rate, we

had not entered the straits, but were cruising between Car Nicobar and Junkseylon, when we "met up" with a

fullgrown cachalot, as ugly a customer as one could wish. From nine a.m. till dusk the battle raged for I

have often noticed that unless you kill your whale pretty soon, he gets so wary, as well as fierce, that you

stand a gaudy chance of being worn down yourselves before you settle accounts with your adversary. This

affair certainly looked at one time as if such would be the case with us; but along about five p.m., to our great

joy, we got him killed. The ejected food was in masses of enormous size, larger than any we had yet seen on

the voyage, some of them being estimated to be of the size of our hatch house, viz. 8 feet x 6 feet x 6 feet.

The whale having been secured alongside, all hands were sent below, as they were worn out with the day's

work. The third mate being ill, I had been invested with the questionable honour of standing his watch, on

account of my sea experience and growing favour with the chief. Very bitterly did I resent the privilege at the

time, I remember, being so tired and sleepy that I knew not how to keep awake. I did not imagine that

anything would happen to make me prize that night's experience for the rest of my life, or I should have taken

At about eleven p.m. I was leaning over the lee rail, grazing steadily at the bright surface of the sea, where the

intense radiance of the tropical moon made a broad path like a pavement of burnished silver. Eyes that saw

not, mind only confusedly conscious of my surroundings, were mine; but suddenly I started to my feet with

an exclamation, and stared with all my might at the strangest sight I ever saw. There was a violent commotion

in the sea right where the moon's rays were concentrated, so great that, remembering our position, I was at

first inclined to alarm all hands; for I had often heard of volcanic islands suddenly lifting their heads from the

depths below, or disappearing in a moment, and, with Sumatra's chain of active volcanoes so near, I felt

doubtful indeed of what was now happening. Getting the nightglasses out of the cabin scuttle, where they

were always hung in readiness, I focussed them on the troubled spot, perfectly satisfied by a short

examination that neither volcano nor earthquake had anything to do with what was going on; yet so vast were

the forces engaged that I might well have been excused for my first supposition. A very large sperm whale

was locked in deadly conflict with a cuttlefish or squid, almost as large as himself, whose interminable

tentacles seemed to enlace the whole of his great body. The head of the whale especially seemed a perfect

network of writhing armsnaturally I suppose, for it appeared as if the whale had the tail part of the

mollusc in his jaws, and, in a businesslike, methodical way, was sawing through it. By the side of the black

columnar head of the whale appeared the head of the great squid, as awful an object as one could well

imagine even in a fevered dream. Judging as carefully as possible, I estimated it to be at least as large as one

of our pipes, which contained three hundred and fifty gallons; but it may have been, and probably was, a

good deal larger. The eyes were very remarkable from their size and blackness, which, contrasted with the

livid whiteness of the head, made their appearance all the more striking. They were, at least, a foot in

diameter, and, seen under such conditions, looked decidedly eerie and hubgoblinlike. All around the

combatants were numerous sharks, like jackals round a lion, ready to share the feast, and apparently assisting

in the destruction of the huge cephalopod. So the titanic struggle went on, in perfect silence as far as we were

concerned, because, even had there been any noise, our distance from the scene of conflict would not have

Thinking that such a sight ought not to be missed by the captain, I overcame my dread of him sufficiently to

call him, and tell him of what was taking place. He met my remarks with such a furious burst of anger at my

daring to disturb him for such a cause, that I fled precipitately on deck again, having the remainder of the

vision to myself, for none of the others cared sufficiently for such things to lose five minutes' sleep in

witnessing them. The conflict ceased, the sea resumed its placid calm, and nothing remained to tell of the

fight but a strong odour of fish, as of a bank of seaweed left by the tide in the blazing sun. Eight bells struck,

and I went below to a troubled sleep, wherein all the awful monsters that an overexcited brain could conjure

up pursued me through the gloomy caves of ocean, or mocked my pigmy efforts to escape.

The occasions upon which these gigantic cuttlefish appear at the sea surface must, I think, be very rare.

From their construction, they appear fitted only to grope among the rocks at the bottom of the ocean. Their

mode of progression is backward, by the forcible ejection of a jet of water from an orifice in the neck, besides

the rectum or cloaca. Consequently their normal position is headdownward, and with tentacles spread out

like the ribs of an umbrellaeight of them at least; the two long ones, like the antennae of an insect, rove

The imagination can hardly picture a more terrible object than one of these huge monsters brooding in the

ocean depths, the gloom of his surroundings increased by the inky fluid (sepia) which he secretes in copious

quantities, every cupshaped disc, of the hundreds with which the restless tentacles are furnished, ready at

the slightest touch to grip whatever is near, not only by suction, but by the great claws set all round within its

circle. And in the centre of this network of living traps is the chasmlike mouth, with its enormous

parrotbeak, ready to rend piecemeal whatever is held by the tentaculae. The very thought of it makes one's

flesh crawl. Well did Michelet term them "the insatiable nightmares of the sea."

Yet, but for them, how would such great creatures as the sperm whale be fed? Unable, from their bulk, to

capture small fish except by accident, and, by the absence of a sieve of baleen, precluded from subsisting

upon the tiny crustacea, which support the MYSTICETAE, the cachalots seem to be confined for their diet to

cuttlefish, and, from their point of view, the bigger the latter are the better. How big they may become in the

depths of the sea, no man knoweth; but it is unlikely that even the vast specimens seen are fullsized, since

they have only come to the surface under abnormal conditions, like the one I have attempted to describe, who

Creatures like these, who inhabit deep waters, and do not need to come to the surface by the exigencies of

their existence, necessarily present many obstacles to accurate investigation of their structure and habits; but,

from the few specimens that have been obtained of late years, fairly comprehensive details have been

compiled, and may be studied in various French and German works, of which the Natural History Museum at

South Kensington possesses copies. These, through the courtesy of the authorities in charge, are easily

accessible to students who wish to prosecute the study of this wonderful branch of the great mollusca family.

When we commenced to cut in our whale next morning, the sea was fairly alive with fish of innumerable

kinds, while a vast host of seabirds, as usual, waited impatiently for the breakingup of the huge carcass,

which they knew would afford them no end of a feast. An untoward accident, which happened soon after the

work was started, gave the waiting myriads immense satisfaction, although the unfortunate second mate,

whose slip of the spade was responsible, came in for a hurricane of vituperation from the enraged skipper. It

was in detaching the case from the head always a work of difficulty, and requiring great precision of aim.

Just as Mr. Cruce made a powerful thrust with his keen t ool, the vessel rolled, and the blow, missing the

score in which he was cutting, fell upon the case instead, piercing its side. For a few minutes the result was

unnoticed amidst the wash of the ragged edges of the cut, but presently a long streak of white, waxlike

pieces floating astern, and a tremendous commotion among the birds, told the story. The liquid spermaceti

was leaking rapidly from the case, turning solid as it got into the cool water. Nothing could be done to stop

the waste, which, as it was a large whale, was not less than twenty barrels, or about two tuns of pure

spermaceti. An accident of this kind never failed to make our skipper almost unbearable in his temper for

some days afterwards; and, to do him justice, he did not discriminate very carefully as to who felt his

Therefore we had all a rough time of it while his angry fit lasted, which was a whole week, or until all was

shipshape again. Meanwhile we were edging gradually through the Malacca Straits and around the big island

of Borneo, never going very near the land on account of the great and numerous dangers attendant upon

coasting in those localities to any but those continually engaged in such a business.

Indeed, all navigation in those seas to sailing vessels is dangerous, and requires the greatest care. Often we

were obliged at a minute's notice to let go the anchor, although out of sight of land, some rapid current being

found carrying us swiftly towards a shoal or race, where we might come to grief. Yet there was no fuss or

hurry, the same leisurely old system was continued, and worked as well as ever. But it was not apparent why

we were threading the tortuous and difficult waters of the Indian Archipelago. No whales of any kind were

seen for at least a month, although, from our leisurely mode of sailing, it was evident that they were looked

An occasional native craft came alongside, desirous of bartering fish, which we did not want, being able to

catch all we needed as readily almost as they were. Fruit and vegetables we could not get at such distances

from land, for the small canoes that lie in wait for passing ships do not of course venture far from home.

Very tedious and trying was our passage northward, although every effort was made by the skipper to

expedite it. Nothing of advantage to our cargo was seen for a long time, which, although apparently what was

to be expected, did not improve Captain Slocum's temper. But, to the surprise of all, when we had arrived off

the beautiful island of Hong Kong, to which we approached closely, we "raised" a grand sperm whale.

Many fishingjunks were in sight, busily plying their trade, and at any other time we should have been much

interested in the quaint and cunning devices by which the patient, wily Chinaman succeeds so admirably as a

fisherman. Our own fishing, for the time being, absorbed all our attentionthe more, perhaps, that we had

for so long been unable to do anything in that line. After the usual preliminaries, we were successful in

getting fast to the great creature, who immediately showed fight. So skilful and wary did he prove that

Captain Slocum, growing impatient at our manoeuvring with no result, himself took the field, arriving on the

scene with the air of one who comes to see and conquer without more delay. He brought with him a weapon

which I have not hitherto mentioned, because none of the harpooners could be induced to use it, and

consequently it had not been much in evidence. Theoretically, it was as ideal tool for such work, its chief

drawback being its cumbrousness. It was known as "Pierce's darting gun," being a combination of bombgun

and harpoon, capable of being darted at the whale like a plain harpoon. Its construction was simple; indeed,

the patent was a very old one. A tube of brass, thickening towards the butt, at which was a square chamber

firmly welded to a socket for receiving the pole, formed the gun itself. Within the chamber aforesaid a nipple

protruded from the base of the tube, and in line with it. The trigger was simply a flat bit of steel, like a piece

of clock spring, which was held down by the hooked end of a steel rod long enough to stick out beyond the

muzzle of the gun three or four inches, and held in position by two flanges at the butt and muzzle of the

barrel. On the opposite side of the tube were two more flanges, close together, into the holes of which was

inserted the end of a specially made harpoon, having an eye twisted in its shank through which the whale line

was spliced. The whole machine was fitted to a neat pole, and strongly secured to it by means of a "gun

warp," or short piece of thin line, by which it could be hauled back into the boat after being darted at a whale.

To prepare this weapon for use, the barrel was loaded with a charge of powder and a bomb similar to those

used in the shoulderguns, the point of which just protruded from the muzzle. An ordinary percussion cap

was placed upon the nipple, and the trigger cocked by placing the triggerrod in position. The harpoon, with

the line attached, was firmly set into the socketed flanges prepared for it, and the whole arrangement was then

Supposing the aim to be good and the force sufficient, the harpoon would penetrate the blubber until the end

of the trigger rod was driven backwards by striking the blubber, releasing the trigger and firing the gun.

Thus the whale would be harpooned and bomblanced at the same time, and, supposing everything to work

satisfactorily, very little more could be needed to finish him. But the weapon was so cumbersome and

awkward, and the harpooners stood in such awe of it, that in the majority of cases the whale was either

missed altogether or the harpoon got such slight hold that the gun did not go off, the result being generally

In the present case, however, the "Pierce" gun was in the hands of a man by no means nervous, and above

criticism or blame in case of failure. So when he sailed in to the attack, and delivered his "swashing blow,"

the report of the gun was immediately heard, proving conclusively that a successful stroke had been made.

It had an instantaneous and astonishing effect. The sorely wounded monster, with one tremendous expiration,

rolled over and over swift as thought towards his aggressor, literally burying the boat beneath his vast bulk.

Now, one would have thought surely, upon seeing this, that none of that boat's crew would ever have been

seen again. Nevertheless, strange as it may appear, out of that seething lather of foam, all six heads emerged

again in an instant, but on the OTHER side of the great creature. How any of them escaped instant violent

death was, and from the nature of the case must, ever remain, an unravelled mystery, for the boat was

crumbled into innumerable fragments, and the three hundred fathoms of line, in a perfect maze of

entanglement, appeared to be wrapped about the writhing trunk of the whale. Happily, there were two boats

disengaged, so that they were able very promptly to rescue the sufferers from their perilous position in the

boiling vortex of foam by which they were surrounded. Meanwhile, the remaining boat had an easy task. The

shot delivered by the captain had taken deadly effect, the bomb having entered the creature's side low down,

directly abaft the pectoral fin. It must have exploded within the cavity of the bowels, from its position,

causing such extensive injuries as to make even that vast animal's death but a matter of a few moments.

Therefore, we did not run any unnecessary risks, but hauled off to a safe distance and quietly watched the

deaththroes. They were so brief, that in less than ten minutes from the time of the accident we were busy

The vessel was an unusually long time working up to us, so slow, in fact, that Mr Count remarked, critically,

"Shouldn't wonder if th' ole man ain't hurt; they're taking things so allfired easy." By the time she had

reached us, we had a good few visitors around us from the fishing fleet, who caused us no little anxiety, The

Chinese have no prejudices; they would just as soon steal a whale as a herring, if the conveyance could be

effected without, more trouble or risk to their own yellow skins. If it involved the killing of a few foreign

devilswell, so much to the good. The ship, however, arrived before the fishermen had decided upon any

active steps, and we got our catch alongside without any delay. The truth of Mr. Count's forecast was verified

to the hilt, for we found that the captain was so badly bruised about, the body that he was unable to move,

while one of the hands, a Portuguese, was injured internally, and seemed very bad indeed. Had any one told

us that morning that we should be sorry to see Captain Slocum with sore bones, we should have scoffed at the

notion, and some of us would probably have said that we should like to have the opportunity of making him

smart. But under the present circumstances, with some hundreds of perfectly ruthless wretches hovering

around us, looking with longing eyes at the treasure we had alongside, we could not help remembering the

courage and resource so often shown by the skipper, and wished with all our hearts that we could have the

benefit of them now. As soon as dinner was over, we all "turned to" with a will to get the whale cut in. None

of us required to be told that to lay all night with that whale alongside would be extremely unhealthy for us,

great doubt existing as to whether any of us would see morning dawn again. There was, too, just a possibility

that when the carcass, stripped of its blubber, was cut adrift, those ravenous crowds would fasten upon it, and

All hands, therefore, worked like Trojans. There was no need to drive us, nor was a single harsh word

spoken. Nothing was heard but the almost incessant clatter of the windlass pawls, abrupt monosyllabic

orders, and the occasional melancholy wail of a gannet overhead. No word had been spoken on the subject

among us, yet somehow we all realized that we were working for a large stake no less than our lives. What!

says somebody, within a few miles of Hong Kong? Oh yes; and even within Hong Kong harbour itself, if

opportunity offers. Let any man go down the wharf at Hong Kong after sunset, and hail a sampan from the

hundreds there that are waiting to be hired. Hardly will the summons have left his lips before a white

policeman will be at his side, notebook in hand, inquiring his name and ship, and taking a note of the

sampan's number, with the time of his leaving the wharf. Nothing perfunctory about the job either. Let but

these precautions be omitted, and the chances that the passenger (if he have aught of value about him) will

So good was the progress made that by five p.m. we were busy at the head, while the last few turns of the

windlass were being taken to complete the skinning of the body. With a long pentup shout that last piece

was severed and swung inboard, as the huge mass of reeking flesh floated slowly astern. As it drifted away

we saw the patient watchers who had been waiting converging upon it from all quarters, and our hopes rose

high. But there was no slackening of our efforts to get in the head. By the time it was dark we managed to get

the junk on board, and by the most extraordinary efforts lifted the whole remainder of the head high enough

to make sail and stand off to sea. The wind was off the land, the water smooth, and no swell on, so we took

no damage from that tremendous weight surging by our side, though, had the worst come to the worst, we

When morning dawned we hoveto, the land being only dimly visible astern, and finished taking on board

our "head matter" without further incident. The danger past, we were all well pleased that the captain was

below, for the work proceeded quite pleasantly under the genial rule of the mate. Since leaving port we had

not felt so comfortable, the work, with all its disagreeables, seeming as nothing now that we could do it

without fear and trembling. Alas for poor Jemmy!as we always persisted in calling him from inability to

pronounce his proper namehis case was evidently hopeless. His fellows did their poor best to comfort his

fastfleeting hours, one after another murmuring to him the prayers of the Church, which, although they did

not understand them, they evidently believed most firmly to have some marvellous power to open the gates of

paradise and cleanse the sinner. Notwithstanding the grim fact that their worship was almost pure

superstition, it was far more in accordance with the fitness of things for a dying man's surroundings than such

scenes as I have witnessed in the forecastles of merchant ships when poor sailors lay adying. I remember

well once, when I was second officer of a large passenger ship, going in the forecastle as she lay at anchor at

St. Helena, to see a sick man. Half the crew were drunk, and the beastly kennel in which they lived was in a

thick fog of tobaccosmoke and the stale stench of rum. Ribald songs, quarrelling, and blasphemy made a

veritable pandemonium of the place. I passed quietly through it to the sick man's bunk, and found

himdead! He had passed away in the midst of that, but the horror of it did not seem to impress his bemused

Here, at any rate, there was quiet and decorum, while all that could be done for the poor sufferer (not much,

from ignorance of how he was injured) was done. He was released from his pain in the afternoon of the

second day after the accident, the end coming suddenly and peacefully. The same evening, at sunset, the

body, neatly sewn up in canvas, with a big lump of sandstone secured to the feet, was brought on deck, laid

on a hatch at the gangway, and covered with the blue, starspangled American Jack. Then all hands were

mustered in the waist, the ship's bell was tolled, and the ensign run up halfway.

The captain was still too ill to be moved, so the mate stepped forward with a rusty old Common Prayerbook

in his hands, whereon my vagrant fancy immediately fastened in frantic endeavour to imagine how it came to

be there. The silence of death was over all. True, the man was but a unit of no special note among us, but

death had conferred upon him a brevet rank, in virtue of which be dominated every thought. It seemed

strange to me that we who faced death so often and variously, until natural fear had become deadened by

custom, should, now that one of our number lay a rapidlycorrupting husk before us, be so tremendously

impressed by the simple, inevitable fact. I suppose it was because none of us were able to realize the

immanence of Death until we saw his handiwork. Mr. Count opened the book, fumbling nervously among the

unfamiliar leaves. Then he suddenly looked up, his weather scarred face glowing a dull brickred, and said,

in a low voice, "This thing's too many fer me; kin any of ye do it? Ef not, I guess we'll hev ter take it as read."

There was no response for a moment; then I stepped forward, reaching out my hand for the book. Its contents

were familiar enough to me, for in happy pre arab days I had been a chorister in the old Lock Chapel,

Harrow Road, and had borne my part in the service so often that I think even now I could repeat the greater

part of it MEMORITER. Mr. Count gave it me without a word, and, trembling like a leaf, I turned to the

"Burial Service," and began the majestic sentences, "I am the Resurrection and the Life, saith the Lord." I did

not know my own voice as the wonderful words sounded clearly in the still air; but if ever a small body of

soulhardened men FELT the power of God, it was then. At the words, "We therefore commit his body to the

deep," I paused, and, the mate making a sign, two of the harpooners tilted the hatch, from which the remains

slid off into the unknown depths with a dull splash. Several of the dead man's compatriots covered their faces,

and murmured prayers for the repose of his soul, while the tears trickled through their horny fingers. But

matters soon resumed their normal course; the tension over, back came the strings of life into position again,

The captured whale made an addition to our cargo of one hundred and ten barrelsa very fair haul indeed.

The harpooners were disposed to regard this capture as auspicious upon opening the North Pacific, where, in

spite of the time we had spent, and the fair luck we had experienced in the Indian Ocean, we expected to

Our next cruisingground is known to whalemen as the "Coast of Japan" ground, and has certainly proved in

the past the most prolific fishery of sperm whales in the whole world. I am inclined now to believe that there

are more and larger cachalots to be found in the Southern Hemisphere, between the parallels of 33deg. and

50deg. South; but there the drawback of heavy weather and mountainous seas severely handicaps the

It is somewhat of a misnomer to call the Coast of Japan ground by that name, since to be successful you

should not sight Japan at all, but keep out of range of the cold current that sweeps right across the Pacific,

skirting the Philippines, along the coasts of the Japanese islands as far as the Kuriles, and then returns to the

eastward again to the southward of the Aleutian Archipelago. The greatest number of whales are always

found in the vicinity of the Bonin and Volcano groups of islands, which lie in the eddy formed by the

northward bend of the mighty current before mentioned. This wonderful ground was first cruised by a

London whaleship, the SYREN, in 1819, when the English branch of the sperm whalefishery was in its

prime, and London skippers were proud of the fact that one of their number, in the EMILIA, had thirtyone

After the advent of the SYREN, the Bonins became the favourite fishingground for both Americans and

British, and for many years the catch of oil taken from these teeming waters averaged four thousand tuns

annually. That the value of the fishery was maintained at so high a level for over a quarter of a century was

doubtless due to the fact that there was a long, selfimposed close season, during which the whales were

quite unmolested. Nothing in the migratory habits of this whale, so far as has ever been observed, would have

prevented a profitable fishing all the year round; but custom, stronger even than profit, ordained that

whaleships should never stay too long upon one fishingground, but move on farther until the usual round

Of course, there are whales whose habits lead them at certain seasons, for breeding purposes, to frequent

various groups of islands, but the cachalot seems to be quite impartial in his preferences; if he "uses" around

The Bonins, too, form an ideal callingplace, from the whaling captain's point of view. Peel Island, the

principal one of the cluster, has a perfect harbour in Port Lloyd, where a vessel can not only lie in comfort,

sheltered from almost every wind that blows, but where provisions, wood, and water are plentiful. There is no

inducement, or indeed room, for desertion, and the place is healthy. It is colonized by Japs from the kingdom

so easily reached to the westward, and the busy little people, after their manner, make a short stay very

Once clear of the southern end of Formosa we had quite a rapid run to the Bonins, carrying a press of sail day

and night, as the skipper was anxious to arrive there on account of his recent injuries. He was still very lame,

and he feared that some damage might have been done to him of which he was ignorant. Besides, it was easy

to see that he did not altogether like anybody else being in charge of his ship, no matter how good they were.

Such was the expedition we made that we arrived at Port Lloyd twelve days after clearing up our last whale.

Very beautiful indeed the islands, appeared, with their bold, steep sides clad in richest green, or, where no

vegetation appeared, worn into a thousand fantastic shapes by the sea, or the mountain torrents carving away

the lava of which they were all composed. For the whole of the islands were volcanic, and Port Lloyd itself is

nothing more than the crater of a vast volcano, which in some tremendous convulsion of nature has sunk from

I have said that it was a perfect harbour, but there is no doubt that getting in or out requires plenty of nerve as

well as seamanship. There was so little room, and the eddying flaws of wind under the high land were so

baffling, that at various times during our passage in it appeared as if nothing could prevent us from getting

stuck upon some of the adjacent hungrylooking coral reefs. Nothing of the kind happened, however, and we

came comfortably to an anchor near three other whaleships which were already there. They were the

DIEGO RAMIREZ, of Nantucket; the CORONEL, of Providence, Rhode Island; and the GRAMPUS, of

New Bedford. These were the first whaleships we had yet seen, and it may be imagined how anxious we felt

to meet men with whom we could compare notes and exchange yarns. It might be, too, that we should get

some news of that world which, as far as we were concerned, might as well have been at the other extremity

The sails were hardly fast before a boat from each of the ships was alongside with their respective skippers on

board. The extra exertion necessary to pilot the ship in had knocked the old man up, in his present weak state,

and he had gone below for a short rest; so the three visitors dived down into the stuffy cabin, all anxious to

interview the latest comer. Considerate always, Mr. Count allowed us to have the remainder of the day to

ourselves, so we set about entertaining our company. It was no joke twelve of them coming upon us all at

once, and babel ensued for a short time. They knew the system too well to expect refreshments, so we had not

to apologize for having nothing to set before them. They had not come, however, for meat and drink, but for

talk. And talk we did, sometimes altogether, sometimes rationally; but I doubt whether any of us had ever

There is generally current among seamen a notion that all masters of ships are bound by law to give their

crews twentyfour hours' liberty and a portion of their wages to spend every three months, if they are in port.

I have never heard any authority quoted for this, and do not know what foundation there is for such a belief,

although the practice is usually adhered to in English ships. But American whaleships apparently know no

law, except the will of their commanders, whose convenience is always the first consideration. Thus, we had

now been afloat for well over a year, during which time, except for our foraging excursions at the Cocos and

Our present port being one where it was impossible to desert without the certainty of prompt recapture, with

subsequent suffering altogether disproportionate to the offence, we were told that one watch at a time would

be allowed their liberty for a day. So we of the port watch made our simple preparations, received

twentyfive cents each, and were turned adrift on the beach to enjoy ourselves. We had our liberty, but we

didn't know what to do with it. There was a native town and a couple of low groggeries kept by Chinamen,

where some of my shipmates promptly invested a portion of their wealth in some horrible liquor, the smell of

which was enough to make an ordinary individual sick. There was no place apparently where one could get a

meal, so that the prospect of our stay ashore lasting a day did not seem very great. I was fortunate enough,

however, to foregather with a Scotchman who was a beachcomber, and consequently "knew the ropes." I

dare say he was an unmitigated blackguard whenever he got the chance, but he was certainly on his best

behaviour with me. He took me into the country a bit to see the sights, which were such as most of the Pacific

islands afford. Wonderful indeed were the fantastic rocks, twisted into innumerable grotesque shapes, and,

along the shores, hollowed out into caverns of all sizes, some large enough to shelter an army. He was quite

familiar with the natives, understanding enough of their queer lingo to get along. By his friendly aid we got

some food yams, and fish cooked in native fashion, i.e. in heated holes in the ground, for which the

friendly Kanakas would take no payment, although they looked murderous enough to be cannibals. It does

Well, after a long ramble, the Scotchman and I laid our weary bodies down in the shade of a big rock, and

had a grand sleep, waking up again a little before sunset. We hastened down to the beach off the town, where

all my watchmates were sitting in a row, like lost sheep, waiting to be taken on board again. They had had

enough of liberty; indeed, such liberty as that was hardly worth having. It seems hardly credible, but we were

actually glad to get on board again, it was so miserable ashore, The natives were most unsociable at the port,

and we could not make ourselves understood, so there was not much fun to be had. Even those who were

inclined to drink had too little for a spree, which I was not sorry for, since doubtless a very unpleasant

Next day the starboard watch west on liberty, while we who had received our share were told off to spend the

day wooding and watering. In this most pleasant of occupations (when the weather is fine) I passed a much

more satisfactory time than when wandering about with no objective, an empty pocket, and a hungry belly.

No foremast hand has ever enjoyed his opportunities of making the acquaintance of his various visiting

places more than I have; but the circumstances attendant upon one's leave must be a little favourable, or I

would much rather stay aboard and fish. Our task was over for the day, a goodly store of wood and casks of

water having been shipped. We were sitting down to supper, when, in answer to a hail from the beach, we

were ordered to fetch the liberty men. When we got to them, there was a pretty howd'yedo. All of them

were more or less drunk, some exceedingly quarrelsome. Now, Mistah Jones was steering our boat, looking

as little like a man to take sauce from a drunken sailor as you could imagine. Most of the transformed crowd

ya hooing on the beach had felt the weight of his shoulderofmutton fist, yet so utterly had prudence

forsaken them that, before we came near them, they were abusing him through all the varied gamut of filthy

language they possessed. My democratic sentiments are deeply seated, but I do believe in authority, and

respect for it being rigidly enforced, so this uncalledfor scene upset me, making me feel anxious that the

Goliath stood like a tower, his eyes alone betraying the fierce anger boiling within. When we touched the

beach, his voice was mild end gentle as a child's, his movements calm and deliberate. As soon as we had

beached the boat he stepped ashore, and in two strides was in the middle of the snarling group. Further parley

ceased at once. Snatching the loudest of them by the breast of his shirt with his right hand, another one by the

collar with his left, he flung himself backwards towards the boat, knocking the interveners right and left. But

a protruding fragment of rock caught his heel, bringing him with his captives to the ground in a writhing

mass. The rest, maddened beyond restraint of fear, flung themselves upon the prostrate man, the glimmer of

more than one knifeblade appearing. Two of us from the boatone with the tiller, the other brandishing a

paddlerushed to the rescue; but before we arrived the giant had heaved off his assailants, and, with no

other weapons than his bare hands, was doing terrific execution among them. Not knowing, I suppose,

whether we were friendly to him or not, he shouted to us to keep away, nor dare to interfere. There was no

need. Disregarding such trifles as a few superficial cutsnot feeling them perhapshe so unmercifully

mauled that crowd that they howled again for mercy. The battle was brief and bloody. Before hostilities had

lasted five minutes, six of the aggressors were stretched insensible; the rest, comprising as many more, were

pleading for mercy, completely sober. Such prowess on the part of one man against twelve seems hardly

credible; but it must be remembered that Goliath fought, with all the moral force of the ship's officers behind

him, against a disorganized crowd without backbone, who would never have dared to face him but for the

temporary mania induced by the stuff they had drunk. It was a conflict between a lion and a troop of jackals,

Standing erect among the cowering creatures, the great negro looked every inch a mediaeval hero. In a stern

voice he bade his subjugated enemies to get into the boat, assisting those to do so who were too badly hurt to

As I bent to my oar, I felt very sorry for what had happened. Here were half the crew guilty of an act of

violence upon an officer, which, according to the severe code under which we lived, merited punishment as

painful as could be inflicted, and lasting for the rest of the voyage. Whatever form that punishment might

take, those of us who were innocent would be almost equal sufferers with the others, because discrimination

in the treatment between watch and watch is always difficult, and in our case it was certain that it would not

be attempted. Except as regarded physical violence, we might all expect to share alike. Undoubtedly things

looked very unpleasant. My gloomy cogitations were abruptly terminated by the order to "unrow"we were

alongside. Somehow or other all hands managed to scramble on board, and assist in hoisting the boat up.

As soon as she was secured we slunk away forward, but we had hardly got below before a tremendous

summons from Goliath brought us all aft again at the double quick. Most of the fracas had been witnessed

from the ship, so that but a minute or two was needed to explain how or why it begun. Directly that

explanation had been supplied by Mistah Jones, the order was issued for the culprits to appear.

I have before noticed how little love was lost between the skipper and his officers, Goliath having even once

gone so far as to give me a very emphatic opinion of his about the "old man" of a most unflattering nature.

And had such a state of things existed on board an English ship, the crew would simply have taken charge,

for they would have seen the junior officers flouted, snubbed, and jeered at; and, of course, what they saw the

captain do, they would not be slow to improve on. Many a promising young officer's career has been blighted

in this way by the feminine spite of a foolish man unable to see that if the captain shows no respect to his

But in an American ship, so long as an officer remains an officer, he must be treated as such by every man,

under pain of prompt punishment. Yankee skippers have far too much NOUS to allow their hands to grow

saucy in consequence of division among the afterguard. So now a sort of courtmartial was held upon the

unfortunates who had dared to attack Goliath, at which that sable hero might have been the apple of Captain

Slocum's eye, so solicitous was he of Mistah Jones' honour and the reparation to be made.

This sort of thing was right in his line. Naturally cruel, he seemed to thoroughly enjoy himself in the prospect

of making human beings twist and writhe in pain. Nor would he be baulked of a jot of his pleasure.

Goliath approached him, and muttered a few words, meant, I felt sure, to appease him by letting him know

how much they had suffered at his strong hands; but he turned upon the negro with a savage curse, bidding

him be silent. Then every one of the culprits was stripped, and secured to the lashrail by the wrists; scourges

were made of cotton fishline, knotted at intervals, and secured to a stout handle; the harpooners were told

off as executioners, and the flogging began. Perhaps it was necessary for the maintenance of

disciplinecertainly it was trivial compared with the practice, till recently, in our own army and navy; but I

am glad to say that, compelled to witness it, I felt quite sickphysically sicktrembling so in every limb

that my legs would not support me. It was not fear, for I had nothing to fear had I been ever such a coward.

Whatever it was, I am not sorry either to have felt it or to own it, even while I fully admit that for some forms

Some of the victims fainted, not being in the best condition at the outset for undergoing so severe a trial; but

all were treated alike, buckets of salt water being flung over them. This drastic reviver, while adding to their

pain, brought them all into a state of sufficient activity to get forward when they were released. Smarting and

degraded, all their temporary bravado effectually banished, they were indeed pitiable objects, their deplorable

state all the harder to bear from its contrast to our recent pleasure when we entertained the visiting crews.

Having completed our quantum of wood, water, and fresh provisions for the officers, we got under way again

for the fishing grounds. I did not see how we could hope for a successful season, knowing the utterly

despondent state of the crew, which even affected the officers, who, not so callous or cruel as the skipper,

seemed to be getting rather tired of the constant drive and kick, now the normal condition of affairs. But the

skipper's vigilance was great. Whether he noted any sign of slackness or indifference on the part of his

coadjutors or not, of course I cannot say, but he certainly seemed to put more vigour into his attentions than

Hitherto we had always had our fishing to ourselves; we were now to see something of the ways of other men

employed in the same manner. For though the general idea or plan of campaign against the whales is the

same in all American whalers, every ship has some individual peculiarity of tactics, which, needless to say,

are always far superior to those of any other ship. When we commenced our cruise on this new ground, there

were seven whalers in sight, all quite as keen on the chase as ourselves, so that I anticipated considerable

sport of the liveliest kind should we "raise" whales with such a fleet close at hand.

But for a whole week we saw nothing but a grampus or so, a few loitering finbacks, and an occasional lean

humpback bull certainly not worth chasing. On the seventh afternoon, however, I was in the main

crow'snest with the chief, when I noticed a ship to windward of us alter her course, keeping away three or

four points on an angle that would presently bring her across our bows a good way ahead. I was getting pretty

well versed in the tricks of the trade now, so I kept mum, but strained my eyes in the direction for which the

other ship was steering. The chief was looking astern at some finbacks, the lookout men forward were both

staring to leeward, thus for a minute or so I had a small arc of the horizon to myself. The time was short, but

it sufficed, and for the first time that voyage I had the privilege of "raising" a sperm whale. My voice

quivered with excitement as I uttered the warwhoop, "Ah bloooow!" Round spun the mate on his heel,

while the hands clustered like bees roused from their hive. "Where awaywhere?" gasped the mate. And I

pointed to a spot about half a point on the lee bow, at the same time calling his attention to the fact that the

stranger to windward was keeping away. In answer to the skipper's hurried queries from below Mr. Count

gave him the general outline of affairs, to which he replied by crowding every stitch of canvas on the vessel

The spout I had seen was a good ten miles off, and, for the present, seemed to belong to a "lone" whale, as it

was the only one visible. There was a good breeze blowing, as much, in fact, as we could carry all sail to, the

old barky making a tremendous commotion as she blundered along under the unusual press of canvas. In the

excitement of the race all our woes were forgotten; we only thought of the possibility of the ship getting there

first. We drew gradually nearer to the stranger, who, like us, was carrying all the sail he had got, but, being

It was anybody's race as yet, though, when we heard the skipper's hail, "'Way down from aloft!" as he came

up to take our place, The whale had sounded, apparently heading to leeward, so that the weathergage held

by our rival was not much advantage to him now. We ran on for another two miles, then shortened sail, and

stood by to lower away the moment he should reappear, Meanwhile another ship was working up from to

leeward, having evidently noted our movements, or else, like the albatross, "smelt whale," no great distance

to windward of him. Waiting for that whale to rise was one of the most exciting experiences we had gone

through as yet, with two other ships so near. Everybody's nerves seemed strung up to concert pitch, and it was

quite a relief when from half a dozen throats at once burst the cry, "There she white waters! Ah

bloooow!" Not a mile away, dead to leeward of us, quietly beating the water with the flat of his flukes,

as if there was no such thing in the watery world as a whaleship. Splash! almost simultaneously went the

four boats. Out we shot from the ship, all on our mettle; for was not the skipper's eye upon us from his lofty

eerie, as well as the crew of the other ship, now not more than a mile away! We seemed a terrible time getting

the sails up, but the officers dared not risk our willingness to pull while they could be independent of us.

By the time we were fairly off, the other ship's boats were coming like the wind, so that eight boats were now

converging upon the unconscious monster, We fairly flew over the short, choppy sea, getting drenched with

the flying spray, but looking out far more keenly at the other boats than at the whale. Up we came to him, Mr.

Count's boat to the left, the other mate's boat to the right. Almost at the same moment the irons flew from the

hands of the rival harpooners; but while ours was buried to the hitches in the whale's side, the other man's just

ploughed up the skin on the animal's back, as it passed over him and pierced our boat close behind the

harpooner's leg. Not seeing what had happened to his iron, or knowing that we were fast, the other harpooner

promptly hurled his second iron, which struck solidly. It was a very pretty tangle, but our position was rather

bad. The whale between us was tearing the bowels of the deep up in his rage and fear; we were struggling

frantically to get our sail down; and at any moment that wretched iron through our upper strake might tear a

plank out of us. Our chief, foaming at the mouth with rage and excitement, was screeching inarticulate

blasphemy at the other mate, who, not knowing what was the matter, was yelling back all his copious

vocabulary of abuse. I felt very glad the whale was between us, or there would surely have been murder done.

At last, out drops the iron, leaving a jagged hole you could put your arm through. Wasn't Mr. Count mad? I

really thought he would split with rage, for it was impossible for us to go on with that hole in our bilge. The

second mate came alongside and took our line as the whale was just commencing to sound, thus setting us

free. We made at once for the other ship's "fast" boat, and the compliments that had gone before were just

casual conversation to what filled the air with dislocated language now. Presently both the champions cooled

down a bit from want of breath, and we got our case stated. It was received with a yell of derision from the

other side as a splendid effort of lying on our part; because the first ship fast claims the whale, and such a

However, as reason asserted her sway over Mr. Count, he quieted down, knowing full well that the state of

the line belonging to his rival would reveal the truth when the whale rose again. Therefore we returned to the

ship, leaving our three boats busy waiting the whale's pleasure to rise again. When the skipper heard what had

happened, he had his own boat manned, proceeding himself to the battlefield in expectation of

complications presently. By the time he arrived upon the scene there were two more boats lying by, which

had come up from the third ship, mentioned as working up from to leeward. "Pretty fine ground this's got ter

be!" growled the old man. "Caint strike whale 'thout bein' crowded eout uv yer own propputty by a gang

And still the whale kept going steadily down, down, down. Already he was on the second boat's lines, and

taking them out faster than ever. Had we been alone, this persistence on his part, though annoying, would not

have mattered much; but, with so many others in company, the possibilities of complication, should we need

to slip our end, were numerous. The ship kept near, and Mr. Count, seeing how matters were going, had

hastily patched his boat, returning at once with another tub of line. He was but just in time to bend on, when

to our great delight we saw the end slip from our rival's boat. This in no wise terminated his lien on the

whale, supposing he could prove that he struck first, but it got him out of the way for the time.

Meanwhile we were running line faster than ever. There was an enormous length attached to the animal

nowsome twelve thousand feetthe weight of which was very great, to say nothing of the many

"drogues" or "stopwaters" attached to it at intervals. Judge, then, of my surprise when a shout of

"Blooow!" called my attention to the whale himself just breaking water about half a mile away. It was an

awkward predicament; for if we let go our end, the others would be on the whale immediately; if we held on,

we should certainly be dragged below in a twinkling; and our disengaged boats could do nothing, for they had

no line. But the difficulty soon settled itself. Out ran our end, leaving us bare of line as pleasure skiffs. The

newcomer, who had been prowling near, keeping a close watch upon us, saw our boat jump up when released

from the weight. Off he flew like an arrow to the labouring leviathan, now a "free fish," except for such

claims as the two firstcomers had upon it, which claims are legally assessed, where no dispute arises. In its

disabled condition, dragging so enormous a weight of line, it was but a few minutes before the fresh boat was

fast, while we looked on helplessly, boiling with impotent rage. All that we could now hope for was the

salvage of some of our line, a mile and a half of which, inextricably mixed up with about the same length of

So great had been the strain upon that hardlyused animal that he did not go into his usual "flurry," but

calmly expired without the faintest struggle. In the mean time two of our boats had been sent on board again

to work the ship, while the skipper proceeded to try his luck in the recovery of his gear. On arriving at the

dead whale, however, we found that he had rolled over and over beneath the water so many times that the line

was fairly frapped round him, and the present possessors were in no mood to allow us the privilege of

During the conversation we had drawn very near the carcass, so near, in fact, that one hand was holding the

boat alongside the whale's "small" by a bight of the line. I suppose the skipper's eagle eye must have caught

sight of the trailing part of the line streaming beneath,for suddenly he plunged overboard, reappearing almost

immediately with the line in his hand. He scrambled into the boat with it, cutting it from the whale at once,

Then there was a hubbub again. The captain of the NARRAGANSETT, our first rival, protested vigorously

against our monopoly of the line; but in grim silence our skipper kept on, taking no notice of him, while we

steadily hauled. Unless he of the NARRAGANSETT choose to fight for what he considered his rights, there

was no help for him. And there was something in our old man's appearance eminently calculated to

At last, disgusted apparently with the hopeless turn affairs had taken, the NARRAGANSETT's boats drew

off, and returned on board their ship. Two of our boats had by this time accumulated a mountainous coil of

line each, with which we returned to our own vessel, leaving the skipper to visit the present holder of the

What arrangements they made, or how they settled the NARRAGANSETT's claim between them, I never

knew, but I dare say there was a costly lawsuit about it in New Bedford years after.

This was not very encouraging for a start, nor did the next meek see us do any better. Several times we saw

other ships with whales alongside, but we got no show at all. Now, I had hoped a great deal from our cruise

on these grounds, because I had heard whispers of a visit to the icy Sea of Okhotsk, and the prospect was to

me a horrible one. I never did take any stock in Arctic work. But if we made a good season on the Japan

grounds, we should not go north, but gradually work down the Pacific again, on the other side, cruising as we

Day after day went by without any fresh capture or even sight of fish, until I began to believe that the stories I

had heard of the wonderful fecundity of the Coast of Japan waters were fables without foundation, in fact.

Had I known what sort of fishing our next bout would be, I should not have been so eager to sight whales

again. If this be not a platitude of the worst kind, I don't know the meaning of the word; but, after all,

All unversed as I am in the finer shades of literary craftsmanship, there is great uncertainty in my mind

whether it is good or bad "art" to anticipate your next chapter by foreshadowing its contents; but whether

good or bad art, the remembrance of my miseries on the eventful occasion I wish to describe was so strong

upon me as I wrote the last few lines of the previous chapter that I just had to let those few words leak out.

Through all the vicissitudes of this strange voyage I had hitherto felt pretty safe, and as the last thing a man

anticipates (if his digestion is all right) is the possibility of coming to grief himself while fully prepared to see

everybody else go under, so I had got to think that whoever got killed I was not to bea very pleasing

sentiment, and one that carries a man far, enabling him to face dangers with a light heart which otherwise

In this optimistic mood, then, I gaily flung myself into my place in the mate's boat one morning, as we were

departing in chase of a magnificent cachalot that had been raised just after breakfast. There were no other

vessels in sightmuch to our satisfaction the wind was light, with a cloudless sky, and the whale was

dead to leeward of us. We sped along at a good rate towards our prospective victim, who was, in his leisurely

enjoyment of life, calmly lolling on the surface, occasionally lifting his enormous tail out of water and letting

We were as usual, first boat; but, much to the mate's annoyance, when we were a short halfmile from the

whale, our mainsheet parted. It became immediately necessary to roll the sail up, lest its flapping should

alarm the watchful monster, and this delayed us sufficiently to allow the other boats to shoot ahead of us.

Thus the second mate got fast some seconds before we arrived on the scene, seeing which we furled sail

unshipped the mast, and went in on him with the oars only. At first the proceedings were quite of the usual

character, our chief wielding his lance in most brilliant fashion, while not being fast to the animal allowed us

much greater freedom in our evolutions; but that fatal habit of the mate'sof allowing his boat to take care

of herself so long as he was getting in some good homethrusts once more asserted itself. Although the

whale was exceedingly vigorous, churning the sea into yeasty foam over an enormous area, there we

wallowed close to him, right in the middle of the turmoil, actually courting disaster.

He had just settled down for a moment, when, glancing over the gunwale, I saw his tail, like a vast shadow,

sweeping away from us towards the second mate, who was laying off the other side of him. Before I had time

to think, the mighty mass of gristle leapt into the sunshine, curved back from us like a huge bow. Then with a

roar it came at us, released from its tension of Heaven knows how many tons. Full on the broadside it struck

us, sending every soul but me flying out of the wreckage as if fired from catapults. I did not go because my

foot was jammed somehow in the well of the boat, but the wrench nearly pulled my thigh bone out of its

socket. I had hardly released my foot, when, towering above me, came the colossal head of the great creature,

as he ploughed through the bundle of debris that had just been a boat. There was an appalling roar of water in

my ears, and darkness that might be felt all around. Yet, in the midst of it all, one thought predominated as

clearly as if I had been turning it over in my mind in the quiet of my bunk aboard"What if he should

swallow me?" Nor to this day can I understand how I escaped the portals of his gullet, which of course gaped

wide as a church door. But the agony of holding my breath soon overpowered every other feeling and

thought, till just as something was going to snap inside my head I rose to the surface. I was surrounded by a

welter of bloody froth, which made it impossible for me to see; but oh, the air was sweet!

I struck out blindly, instinctively, although I could feel so strong an eddy that voluntary progress was out of

the question. My hand touched and clung to a rope, which immediately towed me in some directionI

neither knew nor cared whither. Soon the motion ceased, and, with a seaman's instinct, I began to haul myself

along by the rope I grasped, although no definite idea was in my mind as to where it was attached. Presently I

came butt up against something solid, the feel of which gathered all my scattered wits into a compact knub of

dread. It was the whale! "Any port in a storm," I murmured, beginning to haul away again on my friendly

line. By dint of hard work I pulled myself right up the sloping, slippery bank of blubber, until I reached the

iron, which, as luck would have it, was planted in that side of the carcass now uppermost. Carcass I

saidwell, certainly I had no idea of there being any life remaining within the vast mass beneath me, yet I

had hardly time to take a couple of turns round myself with the rope (or whaleline, as I had proved it to be),

when I felt the great animal quiver all over, and begin to forge ahead. I was now composed enough to

remember that help could not be far away, and that my rescue, providing that I could keep above water, was

but a question of a few minutes. But I was hardly prepared for the whale's next move. Being very near his

end, the boat, or boats, had drawn off a bit, I supposed, for I could see nothing of them. Then I remembered

the flurry. Almost at the same moment it began; and there was I, who with fearful admiration had so often

watched the titanic convulsions of a dying cachalot, actually involved in them. The turns were off my body,

but I was able to twist a couple of turns round my arms, which, in case of his sounding, I could readily let go.

Then all was lost in roar and rush, as of the heart of some mighty cataract, during which I was sometimes

above, sometimes beneath, the water, but always clinging with every ounce of energy still left, to the line.

Now, one thought was uppermost "What if he should breach?" I had seen them do so when in flurry,

Quickly as all the preceding changes had passed came perfect peace. There I lay, still alive, but so weak that,

although I could feel the turns slipping off my arms, and knew that I should slide off the slope of the whale's

side into the sea if they did, I could make no effort to secure myself. Everything then passed away from me,

I do not at all understand how I kept my position, nor how long, but I awoke to the blessed sound of voices,

and saw the second mate's boat alongside, Very gently and tenderly they lifted me into the boat, although I

could hardly help screaming with agony when they touched me, so bruised and broken up did I feel. My arms

must have been nearly torn from their sockets, for the strands of the whaleline had cut deep into their flesh

with the strain upon it, while my thigh was swollen enormously from the blow I received at the onset. Mr.

Cruce was the most surprised man I think I ever saw. For full ten minutes he stared at me with wideopen

eyes. When at last he spoke, it was with difficulty, as if wanting words to express his astonishment. At last he

blurted out, "Whar you bin all de time, ennyhaow? 'Cawse ef you bin hangin' on to dat ar wale ev'sence you

boat smash, w'y de debbil you hain't all ter bits, hey?" I smiled feebly, but was too weak to talk, and presently

When I recovered, I was snug in my bunk aboard, but aching in every joint, and as sore as if I had been

pounded with a club until I was bruised all over. During the day Mr. Count was kind enough to pay me a

visit. With his usual luck, he had escaped without the slightest injury; neither was any other member of the

boat's crew the worse for the ducking but myself. He told me that the whale was one of the largest he had

ever seen, and as fat as butter. The boat was an entire loss, so completely smashed to pieces that nothing Of

her or her gear had been recovered. After spending about a quarter of an hour with me, he left me

considerably cheered up, promising to look after me in the way of food, and also to send me some books. He

told me that I need not worry myself about my inability to be at work, because the old man was not

unfavourably disposed towards me, which piece of news gave me a great deal of comfort.

When my poor, weary shipmates came below from their heavy toil of cutting in, they were almost inclined to

be envious of my comfortsmall blame to themthough I would gladly have taken my place among them

again, could I have got rid of my hurts. But I was condemned to lie there for nearly three weeks before I was

able to get about once more. In my sleep I would undergo the horrible anticipation of sliding down that awful,

While I lay there, three whales were caught, all small cows, and I was informed that the skipper was getting

quite disgusted with the luck. At last I managed to get on deck, quite a different looking man to when I went

below, and feeling about ten years older. I found the same sullen quiet reigning that I had noticed several

times before when we were unfortunate. I fancied that the skipper looked more morose and savage than ever,

The third day after my return to duty we sighted whales again. We lowered three boats as promptly as usual;

but when within about half a mile of the "pod" some slight noise in one of the boats gallied them, and away

they went in the wind's eye, it blowing a stiffish breeze at the time, It was from the first evidently a hopeless

task to chase them, but we persevered until recalled to the ship, dead beat with fatigue. I was not sorry, for

my recent adventure seemed to have made quite a coward of me, so much so that an unpleasant gnawing at

the pit of my stomach as we neared them almost made me sick. I earnestly hoped that so inconvenient a

In passing, I would like to refer to the wonderful way in which these whales realize at a great distance, if the

slightest sound be made, the presence of danger. I do not use the word "hear" because so abnormally small

are their organs of hearing, the external opening being quite difficult to find, that I do not believe they can

hear at all well. But I firmly believe they possess another sense by means of which they are able to detect any

unusual vibration of the waves of either air or sea at a far greater distance than it would be possible for them

to hear, Whatever this power may be which they possess, all whalemen are well acquainted with their

exercise of it, and always take most elaborate precautions to render their approach to a whale noiseless.

Our extraordinary want of success at last so annoyed the skipper that he determined to quit the ground and go

north. The near approach of the open season in those regions probably hastened his decision, but I learned

from Goliath that he had always been known as a most fortunate man among the "bowheads," as the great

MYSTICETAE of that part of the Arctic seas are called by the Americans. Not that there is any difference, as

far as I have been able to ascertain, between them and the "right " whale of the Greenland seas, but from

So in leisurely fashion we worked north, keeping, of course, a bright lookout all the way for straggling

cachalots, but not seeing any. From scraps of information that in some mysterious fashion leaked out, we

learned that we were bound to the Okhotsk Sea, it being no part of the skipper's intentions to go prowling

It may be imagined that we of the crew were not at all pleased with this intelligence, our life being, we

considered, sufficiently miserable without the addition of extreme cold, for we did not realize that in the

Arctic regions during summer the cold is by no means unbearable, and our imagination pictured a horrible

waste of perpetual ice and snow, in the midst of which we should be compelled to freeze while dodging

whales through the crevices of the floes. But whether our pictures of the prospects that awaited us were

caricatures or no made not the slightest difference. "Growl you may, but go you must" is an old sea jingle of

the truest ring; but, while our going was inevitable, growling was a luxury none of us dare indulge in.

We had by no means a bad passage to the Kuriles, which form a natural barrier enclosing the immense area of

the Okhotsk Sea from the vast stretch of the Pacific. Around this great chain of islands the navigation is

exceedingly difficult, and dangerous as well, from the evervarying currents as from the frequent fogs and

sudden storms. But these impediments to swift and safe navigation are made light of by the whalemen, who,

as I feel never weary of remarking, are the finest navigators in the world where speed is not the first

The most peculiar features of these inhospitable shores to a seaman are the vast fields of seaweed surrounding

them all, which certainly helps to keep the sea down during gales, but renders navigation most difficult on

account of its concealment of hidden dangers. These islands are aptly named, the word "Kurile" being

Kamschatkan for smoke; and whether it be regarded as given in consequence of the numerous volcanoes

which pour their fumes into the air, or the allprevailing fog fostered by the Kuro Siwo, or Japanese

We entered the Okhotsk Sea by the Nadeshda Channel, sonamed after Admiral Krusenstern's ship, which

was the first civilized vessel that passed through its turbulent waters. It separates the islands Rashau and

Mantaua by about twenty miles, yet so conflicting and violent are the currents which eddy and swirl in all

parts of it, that without a steady, strong, fair wind it is most dangerous to a sailing vessel. Thenceforward the

navigation was free from difficulty, or at least none that we could recognize as such, so we gave all our

Scarcely any change was needed in our equipment, except the substitution of longer harpoons for those we

had been using, and the putting away of the bombguns. These changes were made because the blubber of

the bowhead is so thick that ordinary harpoons will not penetrate beyond it to the muscle, which, unless they

do, renders them liable to draw, upon a heavy strain. As for the bombs, Yankees hold the mysticetae in such

supreme contempt that none of them would dream of wasting so expensive a weapon as a bomb upon them. I

was given to understand by my constant crony, Mistah Jones, that there was no more trouble in killing a

bowhead than in slaughtering a sheep; and that while it was quite true that accidents DID occur, they were

entirely due to the carelessness or clumsiness of the whalemen, and not in any way traceable to a desire on

The sea was little encumbered with ice, it being now late in June, so that our progress was not at all impeded

by the few soft, brashy floes that we encountered, none of them hard enough to do a ship's hull any damage.

In most places the sea was sufficiently shallow to permit of our anchoring. For this purpose we used a large

kedge, with stout hawser for cable, never furling all the sails in case of a strong breeze suddenly springing up,

which would cause us to drag. This anchoring was very comfortable. Besides allowing us to get much more

rest than when on other cruisinggrounds, we were able to catch enormous quantities of fish, mostly salmon,

of which there were no less than fourteen varieties. So plentiful were these splendid fish that we got quite

critical in our appreciation of them, very soon finding that one kind, known as the "nerker," was far better

flavoured than any of the others. But as the daintiest food palls the quickest, it was not long before we got

Much fun has been made of the discontent of sailors With food which is considered a luxury ashore, and

wonder expressed that if, as we assert, the ordinary dietary of the seaman be so bad, he should be so ready to

rebel when fed with delicacies. But in justice to the sailor, it ought to be remembered that the daintiest food

may he rendered disgusting by bad cookery, such as is the rule on board merchant ships. "God sends meat,

but the devil sends cooks" is a proverb which originated on board ship, and no one who has ever served any

time in a ship's forecastle would deny that it is abundantly justified. Besides which, even good food well

cooked of one kind only, served many times in succession, becomes very trying, only the plainest foods, such

as bread, rice, potatoes, etc., retaining their command of the appetite continually.

I remember once, when upon the Coromandel coast in a big Greenock ship, we found fowls very cheap. At

Bimliapatam the captain bought two or three hundred, which, as we had no coops, were turned loose on deck.

We had also at the same time prowling about the decks three goats, twenty pigs, and two big dogs.

Consequently the state of the ship was filthy, nor could all our efforts keep her clean. This farmyard condition

of things was permitted to continue for about a week, when the officers got so tired of it, and the captain so

annoyed at the frequent loss of fowls by their flying overboard, that the edict went forth to feed the foremast

hands on poultry till further orders. Great was our delight at the news. Fowl for dinner represented to our

imagination almost the apex of high living, only indulged in by such pampered children of fortune as the

When dinnertime arrived, we boys made haste to the galley with watering mouths, joyfully anticipating that

rare delight of the sailora good "feed." The cook uncovered his coppers, plunged his tormentors therein,

and produced such a succession of ugly corpses of fowls as I had never seen before. To each man a whole

one was allotted, and we bore the steaming hecatomb into the forecastle. The boisterous merriment became

hushed at our approach, and faces grew lengthy when the unwholesome aspect of the "treat" was revealed.

Each man secured his bird, and commenced operations. But oh, the disappointment, and the bad words! What

little flesh there was upon the framework of those unhappy fowls was like leather itself, and utterly

flavourless. It could not well have been otherwise. The feathers had been simply scalded off, the heads

chopped off, and bodies split open to facilitate drawing (I am sure I wonder the cook took the trouble to do

that much), and thus prepared they were cast into a cauldron of boiling salt water. There, with the water

fiercely bubbling, they were kept for an hour and a half, then pitchforked out into the mess kid and set before

us. We simply could not eat them; no one but a Noumean Kanaka could, for his teeth are equal to husking a

After much heated discussion, it was unanimously resolved to protest at once against the substitution of such

a fraud as this poultry for our legitimate rations of "salt horse." so, bearing the DISJECTA MEMBRA of our

meal, the whole crowd marched aft, and requested an interview with the skipper. He came out of the cabin at

once, saying, "Well, boys, what's the matter?" The spokesman, a baldheaded Yankee, who had been bo'sun's

mate of an American manofwar, stepped forward and said, offering his kid, "Jest have a look at that sir."

The skipper looked, saying, inquiringly, "Well?" "D'yew think, sir," said Nat, "THET'S proper grub for

men?" "Proper grub! Why, you old sinner, you don't mean to say you're goin' to growl about havin' chicken

for dinner?" "Well, sir, it depends muchly upon the chicken. All I know is, that I've et some dam queer tack in

my time, but sence I ben fishin' I never had no such bundles of sticks parcelled with leather served out to me.

I HEV et bootleastways gnawed it; when I was cast away in a open boat for three weeksbut it wa'n't bad

boot, as boots go. Now, if yew say that these things is boots, en thet it's necessary we should eat'em, or starve,

w'y, we'll think about it. But if yew call'em chickens,'n say you're doin' us a kindness by stoppin' our'lowance

of meat wile we're wrastlin' with 'em, then we say we don't feel obliged to yew, 'n 'll thank yew kindly to keep

such lugsuries for yerself, 'n give us wot we signed for." A murmur of assent confirmed this burst of

eloquence, which we all considered a very fine effort indeed. A moment's silence ensued; then the skipper

burst out, "I've often heard of such things, but hang me if I ever believed 'em till now! You ungrateful

beggars! I'll see you get your whack, and no more, from this out. When you get any little extras aboard this

ship agen, you'll be thankful for 'em; now I tell you." "All right, sir," said Nat; "so long as we don't hev to

chaw any more of yer biled Bimly crows, I dessay we shall worry along as usual." And, as the Parliamentary

Now, suppose the skipper had told the story to some of his shore friends, how very funny the sailors' conduct

On another occasion long after, when I was mate of a barque loading mahogany in Tonala, Mexico, the

skipper thought he would practise economy by buying a turtle instead of beef. A large turtle was obtained for

twentyfive cents, and handed over to the cook to be dealt with, particular instructions being given him as to

At eight bells there was a gathering of the men in front of the poop, and a summons for the captain. When he

appeared, the usual stereotyped invitation to "have a look at THAT, if you please, sir," was uttered. The

skipper was, I think, prepared for a protest, for he began to bluster immediately. "Look here!" he bawled, "I

ain't goin' to 'ave any of your dam nonsense. You WANT somethin' to growl about, you do." " Well, Cap'n

George," said one of the men, "you shorely don't think we k'n eat shells, do yer?" Just then I caught sight of

the kid's contents, and could hardly restrain my indignation. For in a dirty heap, the sight of which might have

pleased an Esquimaux, but was certainly enough to disgust any civilized man, lay the calipee, or under shell

of the turtle, hacked into irregular blocks. It had been simply boiled, and flung into the kid, an unclean,

disgusting heap of shell, with pieces of dirty flesh attached in ragged lumps. But the skipper, redfaced and

angry, answered, "W'y, yer soandso ijits, that's wot the Lord Mayor of London gives about a guinea a

hounce for w'en 'e feeds lords n' dooks. Only the haristocracy at 'ome get a charnce to stick their teeth in such

grub as that. An' 'ere are you lot agrowlin' at 'avin' it for a change!" "That's all right, cap'n," said the man;

"bein' brort up ter such lugsuries, of corse you kin appreshyate it. So if yer keep it fer yer own eatin', an' giv

us wot we signed for, we shall be werry much obliged." "Now, I ain't agoin" to 'ave none o' YOUR cheek,

so you'd better git forrard. You can betcher life you won't get no more fresh messes this voy'ge." So, with

grumbling and illwill on both sides, the conference came to an end. But I thought, and still think, that the

mess set before those men, who had been working hard since six a.m., was unfit for the food of a good dog.

Out of my own experience I might give many other instances of the kind, but I hope these will suffice to

show that Jack's growling is often justified, when both sides of the story are heard.

Day and night being now only distinguishable by the aid of the clock, a constant lookout aloft was kept all

through the twenty four hours, watch and watch, but whales were apparently very scarce. We did a good

deal of "pelagic" sealing; that is, catching seals swimming. But the total number obtained was not great, for

these creatures are only gregarious when at their rocky haunts during the breeding season, or among the ice

just before that season begins. Our sealing, therefore, was only a way of passing the time in the absence of

It was on the ninth or tenth morning after our arrival on the grounds that a bowhead was raised, And two

boats sent after him. It was my first sight of the great MYSTICETUS, and I must confess to being much

impressed by his gigantic bulk. From the difference in shape, he looked much larger than the largest sperm

whale we had yet seen, although we had come across some of the very biggest specimens of cachalot.

The contrast between the two animals is most marked, so much so, in fact, that one would hardly credit them

with belonging to the same order. Popular ideas of the whale are almost invariably taken from the

MYSTICETUS, so that the average individual generally defines a whale as a big fish which spouts water out

of the top of his head, and cannot swallow a herring. Indeed, so lately as last year a popular M.P., writing to

one of the religious papers, allowed himself to say that "science will not hear of a whale with a gullet capable

of admitting anything larger than a man's fist"a piece of crass ignorance, which is also perpetrated in the

appendix to a very widelydistributed edition of the Authorized Version of the Bible. This opinion, strangely

enough, is almost universally held, although I trust that the admirable models now being shown in our

splendid Natural History Museum at South Kensington will do much to remove it. Not so many people,

perhaps, believe that a whale is a fish, instead of a mammal, but few indeed are the individuals who do not

still think that a cetacean possesses a sort of natural fountain on the top of its head, whence, for some

But a whale can no more force water through its spiracle or blow hole than you or I through our nostrils. It

inhales, when at the surface, atmospheric air, and exhales breath like ours, which, coming warm into a cooler

Now, the MYSTICETUS carries his nostrils on the summit of his head, or crown, the orifice being closed by

a beautifully arranged valve when the animal is beneath the water. Consequently, upon coming to the surface

to breathe, he sends up a jet of visible breath into the air some ten or twelve feet. The cachalot, on the other

hand, has the orifice at the point of his square snout, the internal channel running in a slightly diagonal

direction downwards, and back through the skull to the lungs. So when he spouts, the breath is projected

forward diagonally, and, from some peculiarity which I do not pretend to explain, expends itself in a short,

bushy tuft of vapour, very distinct from the tall vertical spout of the bowhead or right whale.

There was little or no wind when we sighted the individual I am now speaking of, so we did not attempt to set

sail, but pulled straight for him "head and head." Strange as it may appear, the MYSTICETUS' best point of

view is right behind, or "in his wake," as we say; it is therefore part of the code to approach him from right

ahead, in which direction he cannot see at all. Some time before we reached him he became aware of our

presence, showing by his uneasy actions that he had his doubts about his personal security. But before he had

made up his mind what to do we were upon him, with our harpoons buried in his back. The difference in his

behaviour to what we had so long been accustomed to was amazing. He did certainly give a lumbering splash

or two with his immense flukes, but no one could possibly have been endangered by them. The water was so

shallow that when he sounded it was but for a very few minutes; there was no escape for him that way. As

soon as he returned to the surface he set off at his best gait, but that was so slow that we easily hauled up

close alongside of him, holding the boats in that position without the slightest attempt to guard ourselves

from reprisals on his part, while the officers searched his vitals with the lances as if they were probing a

Really, the whole affair was so tame that it was impossible to get up any fighting enthusiasm over it; the

poor, unwieldy creature died meekly and quietly as an overgrown seal. In less than an hour from the time of

Upon coming up to the whale, sail was shortened, and as soon as the flukechain was passed we anchored. It

was, I heard, our skipper's boast that he could "skin a bowhead in forty minutes;" and although we were

certainly longer than that, the celerity with which what seemed a gigantic task was accomplished was

marvellous. Of course, it was all plainsailing, very unlike the complicated and herculean task inevitable at

Except for the head work, removing the blubber was effected in precisely the same way as in the case of the

cachalot. There was a marked difference between the quantity of lard enveloping this whale and those we had

hitherto dealt with. It was nearly double the thickness, besides being much richer in oil, which fairly dripped

from it as we hoisted in the blanketpieces. The upper jaw was removed for its long plates of whalebone or

baleenthat valuable substance which alone makes it worth while nowadays to go after the MYSTICETUS,

the price obtained for the oil being so low as to make it not worth while to fit out ships to go in search of it

alone. "Tryingout" the blubber, with its accompaniments, is carried on precisely as with the sperm whale.

The resultant oil, when recent, is of a clear white, unlike the goldentinted fluid obtained from the cachalot.

As it grows stale it developes a nauseous smell, which sperm does not, although the odour of the oil is otto of

roses compared with the horrible mass of putridity landed from the tanks of a Greenland whaler at the

termination of a cruise. For in those vessels, the fishingtime at their disposal being so brief, they do not wait

to boil down the blubber, but, chopping it into small pieces, pass it below as it is into tanks, to be rendered

This first bowhead yielded us eighteen tuns of oil and a ton of baleen, which made the catch about equal in

value to that of a seventun cachalot. But the amount of labour and care necessary in order to thoroughly dry

and cleanse the baleen was enormous; in fact, for months after we began the bowhead fishery there was

almost always something being done with the wretched stuff drying, scraping, etc.which, as it was kept

After this beginning, it was again a considerable time before we sighted any more; but when we did, there

were quite a number of themenough to employ all the boats with one each. I was out of the fun this time,

being almost incapable of moving by reason of several boils on my legsthe result, I suppose, of a long

As it happened, however, I lost no excitement by remaining on board; for while all the boats were away a

large bowhead rose near the ship, evidently being harassed in some way by enemies, which I could not at first

see. He seemed quite unconscious of his proximity to the ship, though, and at last came so near that the whole

performance was as visible as if it had been got up for my benefit. Three "killers" were attacking him at once,

like wolves worrying a bull, except that his motions were far less lively than those of any bull would have

The "killer," or ORCA GLADIATOR, is a true whale, but, like the cachalot, has teeth. He differs from that

great cetacean, though, in a most important particular; i.e. by having a complete set in both upper and lower

jaws, like any other carnivore. For a carnivore indeed is he, the very wolf of the ocean, and enjoying, by

reason of his extraordinary agility as well as comparative worthlessness commercially, complete immunity

from attack by man. By some authorities he is thought to be identical with the grampus, but whalers all

consider the animals quite distinct. Not having had very long acquaintance with them both, I cannot speak

emphatically upon this difference of opinion; so far as personal observation goes, I agree with the whalers in

But to return to the fight. The first inkling I got of what was really going on was the leaping of a killer high

into the air by the side of the whale, and descending upon the victim's broad, smooth back with a resounding

crash. I saw that the killer was provided with a pair of huge finsone on his back, the other on his

bellywhich at first sight looked as if they were also weapons of offence. A little observation convinced me

that they were fins only. Again and again the aggressor leaped into the air, falling each time on the whale's

The sea around foamed and boiled like a cauldron, so that it was only occasional glimpses I was able to catch

of the two killers, until presently the worried whale lifted his head clear out of the surrounding smother,

revealing the two furies hangingone on either side to his lips, as if endeavouring to drag his mouth open

which I afterwards saw was their principal object, as whenever during the tumult I caught sight of them,

they were still in the same position. At last the tremendous and incessant blows, dealt by the most active

member of the trio, seemed actually to have exhausted the immense vitality of the great bowhead, for he lay

supine upon the surface. Then the three joined their forces, and succeeded in dragging open his cavernous

mouth, into which they freely entered, devouring his tongue. This, then, had been their sole object, for as

soon as they had finished their barbarous feast they departed, leaving him helpless and dying to fall an easy

Thus, although the four whales captured by the boats had been but small, the day's take, augmented by so

great a find, was a large one, and it was a long time before we got clear of the work it entailed.

From that time forward we saw no whales for six weeks, and, from the reports we received from two whalers

we "gammed," it appeared that we might consider ourselves most fortunate in our catch, since they, who had

In consequence of this information, Captain Slocum decided to go south again, and resume the sperm

whaling in the North Pacific, near the lineat least so the rumour ran; but as we never heard anything

Ever since the fracas at the Bonins between Goliath and his watch, the relations between Captain Slocum and

the big negro had been very strained. Even before the outbreak, as I have remarked upon one occasion, it was

noticeable that little love was lost between them. Why this was so, without anything definite to guide one's

reasoning, was difficult to understand, for a better seaman or a smarter whaleman than Mistah Jones did not

liveof that every one was quite sure. Still, there was no gainsaying the fact that, churlish and morose as our

skipper's normal temper always was, he was never so much so as in his behaviour towards his able fourth

mate, who, being a man of fine, sensitive temper, chafed under his unmerited treatment so much as to lose

flesh, becoming daily more silent, nervous, and depressed. Still, there had never been an open rupture, nor did

it appear as if there would be, so great was the power Captain Slocum possessed over the will of everybody

One night, however, as we were nearing the Kuriles again, on our way south, leaving the Sea of Okhotsk, I

was sitting on the fore side of the tryworks alone, meditating upon what I would do when once I got clear of

this miserable business. Futile and foolish, no doubt, my speculations were, but only in this way could I

forget for a while my surroundings, since the inestimable comfort of reading was denied me. I had been

sitting thus absorbed in thought for nearly an hour, when Goliath came and seated himself by my side. We

had always been great friends, although, owing to the strict discipline maintained on board, it was not often

we got a chance for a "wee bit crack," as the Scotch say. Besides, I was not in his watch, and even now he

should rightly have been below. He sat for a minute or two silent; then, as if compelled to speak, he began in

low, fierce whispers to tell me of his miserable state of mind. At last, after recapitulating many slights and

insults he had received silently from the captain, of which I had previously known nothing, he became

strangely calm. In tones quite unlike his usual voice, he said that he was not an Americanborn negro, but a

pure African, who had been enslaved in his infancy, with his mother, somewhere in the "Hinterland" of

Guinea. While still a child, his mother escaped with him into Liberia, a where he had remained till her death,

She was, according to him, an Obeah woman of great power, venerated exceedingly by her own people for

her prophetic abilities. Before her death, she had told him that he would die suddenly, violently, in a struggle

with a white man in a faroff country, but that the white man would die too by his hand. She had also told

him that he would be a great traveller and hunter upon the sea. As he went on, his speech became almost

unintelligible, being mingled with fragments of a language I had never heard before; moreover, he spoke as a

man who is only half awake. A strange terror got hold of me, for I began to think he was going mad, and

perhaps about to run amok, as the Malays do when driven frantic by the infliction of real or fancied wrongs.

But he gradually returned to his old self, to my great relief, and I ventured somewhat timidly to remind him

of the esteem in which he was held by all hands; even the skipper, I ventured to say, respected him, although,

from some detestable form of ill humour, he had chosen to be so sneering and insulting towards him. He

shook his head sadly, and said, "My dear boy, youse de only man aboard dis shipwite man, dat isdat

don't hate an' despise me becawse ob my colour, wich I cain't he'p; an' de God you beliebe in bless you fer

dat. As fer me, w'at I done tole you's true,'n befo' bery little w'ile you see it COME true. 'N w'en DAT

happens w'at's gwine ter happen, I'se real glad to tink it gwine ter be better fer yougwine ter be better fer

eberybody 'bord de CACH'LOT; but I doan keer nuffin 'bout anybody else. So long." He held out his great

black hand, and shook mine heartily, while a big tear rolled down his face and fell on the deck. And with that

The night was a long and weary onelonger and drearier perhaps because of the absence of the darkness,

which always made it harder to sleep. An incessant day soon becomes, to those accustomed to the relief of

the night, a burden grievous to be borne; and although use can reconcile us to most things, and does make

even the persistent light bearable, in times of mental distress or great physical weariness one feels irresistibly

When I came on deck at eight bells, it was a stark calm. The watch, under Mistah Jones' direction, were busy

scrubbing decks with the usual thoroughness, while the captain, barefooted, with trouserlegs and

shirtsleeves rolled up, his hands on his hips and a portentous frown on his brow, was closely looking on. As

it was my spell at the crow'snest, I made at once for the main rigging, and had got halfway to the top, when

All hands were gathered in the waist, a not unusual thing at the changing of the watch. In the midst of them,

as I looked down, two men came together in a fierce struggle. They were Goliath and the skipper. Captain

Slocum's right hand went naturally to his hip pocket, where he always carried a revolver; but before he could

draw it, the long, black arms of his adversary wrapped around him, making him helpless as a babe. Then,

with a rush that sent every one flying out of his way, Goliath hurled himself at the bulwarks, which were low,

the top of the rail about thirtythree inches from the deck. The two bodies struck the rail with a heavy thud,

instantly toppling overboard. That broke the spell that bound everybody, so that there was an instantaneous

rush to the side. Only a hardly noticeable ripple remained on the surface of the placid sea.

But, from my lofty perch, the whole of the ghastly struggle had been visible to the least detail. The two men

had struck the water locked in closest embrace, which relaxed not even when far below the surface. When the

sea is perfectly smooth, objects are visible from aloft at several feet depth, though apparently diminished in

size. The last thing I saw was Captain Slocum's white face, with its starting black eyes looking their last upon

the huge, indefinite hull of the ship whose occupants he had ruled so long and rigidly.

The whole tragedy occupied such a brief moment of time that it was almost impossible to realize that it was

actual. Reason, however, soon regained her position among the officers, who ordered the closest watch to be

kept from aloft, in case of the rising of either or both of the men. A couple of boats were swung, ready to

drop on the instant. But, as if to crown the tragedy with completeness, a heavy squall, which had risen

unnoticed, suddenly burst upon the ship with great fury, the lashing hail and rain utterly obscuring vision

even for a few yards. So unexpected was the onset of this squall that, for the only time that voyage, we lost

some canvas through not being able to get it in quick enough. The topgallant halyards were let go; but while

the sails were being clewed up, the fierce wind following the rain caught them from their confining gear,

rending them into a thousand shreds. For an hour the squall rageda tempest in briefthen swept away to

the southeast on its furious journey, leaving peace again. Needless perhaps to say, that after such a squall it

was hopeless to look for our missing ones. The sudden storm had certainly driven us several miles away front

the spot where they disappeared, and, although we carefully made what haste was possible back along the

line we were supposed to have come, not a vestige of hope was in any one's mind that we should ever see

Nor did we. Whether that madness, which I had feared was coming upon Goliath during our previous night's

conversation, suddenly overpowered him and impelled him to commit the horrible deed, what more had

passed between him and the skipper to even faintly justify so awful a retaliationthese things were now

matters of purest speculation. As if they had never been, the two men were blotted outgone before God in

On the same evening Mr. Count mustered all hands on the quarter deck, and addressed us thus: "Men,

Captain Slocum is dead, and, as a consequence, I command the ship. Behave yourself like men, not

presuming upon kindness or imagining that I am a weak, vacillating old man with whom you can do as you

like, and you will find in me a skipper who will do his duty by you as far as lies in his power, nor expect

more from you than you ought to render. If, however, you DO try any tricks, remember that I am an old hand,

equal to most of the games that men get up to. I do wantif you will help meto make this a comfortable

In answer to this manly and affecting little speech, which confirmed my previous estimate of Captain Count's

character, were he but free to follow the bent of his natural, kindly inclinations, and which I have

endeavoured to translate out of his usual dialect, a hearty cheer was raised by all hands, the first ebullition of

general good feeling manifested throughout the voyage. Hearts rose joyfully at the prospect of comfort to be

gained by thoughtfulness on the part of the commander; nor from that time forward did any sign of weariness

The news soon spread among us that, in consequence of the various losses of boats and gear, the captain

deemed it necessary to make for Honolulu, where fresh supplies could readily be obtained. We had heard

many glowing accounts from visitors, when "gamming," of the delights of this wellknown port of call for

whalers, and under our new commander we had little doubt that we should be allowed considerable liberty

during our stay. So we were quite impatient to get along fretting considerably at the persistent fogs which

prevented our making much progress while in the vicinity of the Kuriles. But we saw no more bowheads, for

which none of us forward were at all sorry. We had got very tired of the stink of their blubber, and the

neverending worry connected with the preservation of the baleen; besides, we had not yet accumulated any

fund of enthusiasm about getting a full ship, except as a reason for shortening the voyage, and we quite

understood that what black oil we had got would be landed at Hawaii, so that our visit to the Okhotsk Sea,

with its resultant store of oil, had not really brought our return home any nearer, as we at first hoped it would.

A great surprise was in store for me. I knew that Captain Count was favourably inclined towards me, for he

had himself told me so, but nothing was further from my thoughts than promotion. However, one Sunday

afternoon, when we were all peacefully enjoying the unusual rest (we had no Sundays in Captain Slocum's

time), the captain sent for me. He informed me that, after mature consideration, he had chosen me to fill the

vacancy made by the death of Mistah Jones. Mr. Cruce was now mate; the waspish little third had become

second; Louis Silva, the captain's favourite harpooner was third; and I was to be fourth. Not feeling at all sure

of how the other harpooners would take my stepping over their heads, I respectfully demurred to the

compliment offered me, stating my reasons. But the captain said he had fully made up his mind, after

consultation with the other officers, and that I need have no apprehension on the score of the harpooners'

jealousy; that they had been spoken to on the subject, and they were all agreed that the captain's choice was

the best, especially as none of them knew anything of navigation, or could write their own names.

In consequence of there being none of the crew fit to take a harpooner's place, I was now really harpooner of

the captain's boat, which he would continue to work, when necessary, until we were able to ship a harpooner,

The news of my promotion was received in grim silence by the Portuguese forward, but the white men all

seemed pleased. This was highly gratifying to me, for I had tried my best to be helpful to all, as far as my

limited abilities would let me; nor do I think I had an enemy in the ship. Behold me, then, a full blown

"mister," with a definite substantial increase in my prospects of pay of nearly onethird, in addition to many

More than half the voyage lay behind us, looking like the fast settling bank of stormclouds hovering above

the tempesttossed sea so lately passed, while ahead the bright horizon was full of promise of fine weather

Right glad were we all when, after much fumbling and boxhauling about, we once more felt the long,

familiar roll of the Pacific swell, and saw the dim fastnesses of the smoky islands fading into the lowering

gloom astern. Most deepwater sailors are familiar, by report if not by actual contact, with the beauties of the

Pacific islands, and I had often longed to visit them to see for myself whether the half that had been told me

was true. Of course, to a great number of seafaring men, the loveliness of those regions counts for nothing,

their desirability being founded upon the frequent opportunities of unlimited indulgence in debauchery. To

such men, a "missionary" island is a howling wilderness, and the missionaries themselves the subjects of the

No one who has travelled with his eyes open would assert that all missionaries were wise, prudent, or even

godly men; while it is a great deal to be regretted that so much is made of hardships which in a large

proportion of cases do not exist, the men who are supposed to be enduring them being immensely better off

and more comfortable than they would ever have been at home. Undoubtedly the pioneers of missionary

enterprise had, almost without exception, to face dangers and miseries past telling, but that is the portion of

pioneers in general. In these days, however, the missionary's lot in Polynesia is not often a hard one, and in

many cases it is infinitely to be preferred to a life among the very poor of our great cities.

But when all has been said that can be said against the missionaries, the solid bastion of fact remains that, in

consequence of their labours, the whole vile character of the populations of the Pacific has been changed, and

where wickedness runs riot today, it is due largely to the hindrances placed in the way of the noble efforts of

the missionaries by the unmitigated scoundrels who vilify them. The task of spreading Christianity would

not, after all, be so difficult were it not for the efforts of those apostles of the devil to keep the islands as they

would like them to beplaces where lust runs riot day and night, murder may be done with impunity,

slavery flourishes, and all evil may be indulged in free from law, order, or restraint.

It speaks volumes for the inherent might of the Gospel that, in spite of the objectlessons continually

provided for the natives by white men of the negation of all good, that it has stricken its roots so deeply into

the soil of the Pacific islands. Just as the best proof of the reality of the Gospel here in England is that it

survives the incessant assaults upon it from within by its professors, by those who are paid, and highly paid,

to propagate it, by the side of whose deadly doings the efforts of socalled infidels are but as the battery of a

summer breeze; so in Polynesia, were not the principles of Christianity vital with an immortal and divine life,

missionary efforts might long ago have ceased in utter despair at the fruitlessness of the field.

We were enjoying a most uneventful passage, free from any serious changes either of wind or weather which

quiet time was utilised to the utmost in making many muchneeded additions to the runninggear, repairing

rigging, etc. Any work involving the use of new material had been put off from time to time during the

previous part of the voyage till the ship aloft was really in a dangerous condition. This was due entirely to the

peculiar parsimony of our late skipper, who could scarcely bring himself to broach a coil of rope, except for

whaling purposes. The same false economy had prevailed with regard to paint and varnish, so that the vessel,

while spotlessly clean, presented a wornout weatherbeaten appearance. Now, while the condition of life on

board was totally different to what it had been, as regards comfort and peace, discipline and order were

maintained at the same high level as always, though by a different methodin fact, I believe that a great deal

more work was actually done, certainly much more that was useful and productive; for Captain Count hated,

as much as any foremast hand among us, the constant, remorseless grind of ironwork polishing, paintwork

scrubbing, and holystoning, all of which, though necessary in a certain degree, when kept up continually for

the sole purpose of making worka sort of elaborated treadmill, in factbecomes the refinement of

So, while the CACHALOT could have fearlessly challenged comparison with any ship afloat for cleanliness

and neatness of appearance, the hands no longer felt that they were continually being "worked up" or "hazed"

for the sole, diabolical satisfaction of keeping them "at it." Of course, the incidence of the work was divided,

since so many of the crew were quite unable to do any sailorizing, as we term work in sails and rigging. Upon

them, then, fell all the common labour, which can be done by any unskilled man or woman afloat or ashore.

Of this work a sailor's duties are largely made up, but when good people ashore wonder "whatever sailors do

with their time," it would be useful for them to remember that a ship is a huge and complicated machine,

needing constant repairs, which can only be efficiently performed by skilled workmen. An "A.B." or able

seaman's duties are legally supposed to be defined by the three expressions, "hand, reef, and steer." If he can

do those three things, which mean furling or making fast sails, reefing them, and steering the ship, his wages

cannot be reduced for incompetency. Yet these things are the A B C of seamanship only. A good SEAMAN

is able to make all the various knots, splices, and other arrangements in hempen or wire rope, without which a

ship cannot be rigged; he can make a sail, send up or down yards and masts, and do many other things, the

sum total of which need several years of steady application to learn, although a good seaman is ever learning.

Such seamen are fast becoming extinct. They are almost totally unnecessary in steamships, except when the

engines break down in a gale of wind, and the crowd of navvies forming the crew stand looking at one

another when called upon to set sail or do any other job aloft. THEN the want of seamen is rather severely

felt. But even in sailing shipsthe great, overgrown tanks of two thousand tons and upwardsmechanical

genius has utilized iron to such an extent in their rigging that sailorwork has become very largely a matter of

blacksmithing. I make no complaint of this, not believing that the "old was better;" but, since the strongest

fabric of man's invention comes to grief sometimes in conflict with the irresistible sea, some provision should

be made for having a sufficiency of seamen who could exercise their skill in refitting a dismasted ship, or

But, as the sailing ship is doomed inevitably to disappear before steam, perhaps it does not matter much. The

economic march of the world's progress will never be stayed by sentimental considerations, nor will all the

romance and poetry in the world save the seaman from extinction, if his place can be more profitably filled

by the engineer. From all appearances, it soon will be, for even now marine superintendents of big lines are

sometimes engineers, and in their hands lie the duty of engaging the officers. It would really seem as if the

ship of the near future would be governed by the chief engineer, under whose direction a pilot or

sailingmaster would do the necessary navigation, without power to interfere in any matter of the ship's

economy. Changes as great have taken place in other professions; seafaring cannot hope to be the sole

So, edging comfortably along, we gradually neared the Sandwich Islands without having seen a single spout

worth watching since the tragedy. At last the lofty summits of the island mountains hove in sight, and

presently we came to an anchor in that paradise of whalers, missionaries, and amateur statesmen Honolulu.

As it is as well known to most reading people as our own portsbetter perhapsI shall not attempt to

describe it, or pit myself against the able writers who have made it so familiar. Yet to me it was a new world.

All things were so strange, so delightful, especially the lovable, lazy, fascinating Kanakas, who could be so

limply happy over a dish of poe, or a green cocoanut, or even a lounge in the sun, that it seemed an outrage

to expect them to work. In their sports they could be energetic enough. I do not know of any more delightful

sight than to watch them bathing in the tremendous surf, simply intoxicated with the joy of living, as

unconscious of danger as if swinging in a hammock while riding triumphantly upon the foaming summit of

an incoming breaker twenty feet high, or plunging with a cataract over the dizzy edge of its cliff, swallowed

up in the hissing vortex below, only to reappear with a scream of riotous laughter in the quiet eddy beyond.

As far as I could judge, they were the happiest of people, literally taking no thought for the morrow, and

content with the barest necessaries of life, so long as they were free and the sun shone brightly. We had many

opportunities of cultivating their acquaintance, for the captain allowed us much liberty, quite one half of the

crew and officers being ashore most of the time. Of course, the majority spent all their spare time in the

purlieus of the town, which, like all such places anywhere, were foul and filthy enough; but that was their

own faults. I have often wondered much to see men, who on board ship were the pink of cleanliness and

neatness, fastidious to a fault in all they did, come ashore and huddle in the most horrible of kennels, among

the very dregs and greaves of the 'longshore district. It certainly wants a great deal of explanation; but I

suppose the most potent reason is, that sailors, as a class, never learn to enjoy themselves rationally. They are

also morbidly suspicions of being taken in hand by anybody who would show them anything worth seeing,

preferring to be led by the human sharks that infest all seaports into ways of strange nastiness, and so

expensive withal that one night of such wallowing often costs them more than a month's sane recreation and

good food would. All honour to the devoted men and women who labour in our seaports for the moral and

material benefit of the sailor, passing their lives amidst sights and sounds shocking and sickening to the last

degree, reviled, unthanked, unpaid. Few are the missionaries abroad whose lot is so hard as theirs.

We spent ten happy days in Honolulu, marred only by one or two drunken rows among the chaps forward,

which, however, resulted in their getting a severe dressing down in the forecastle, where good order was now

kept. There had been no need for interference on the part of the officers, which I was glad to see,

remembering what would have happened under such circumstances not long ago. Being shorthanded, the

captain engaged a number of friendly islanders for a limited period, on the understanding that they were to be

discharged at their native place, Vau Vau. There were ten of them, fine stalwart fellows, able bodied and

willing as possible. They were cleanly in their habits, and devout members of the Wesleyan body, so that

their behaviour was quite a reproach to some of our halfcivilized crew. Berths were found for them in the

forecastle, and they took their places among us quite naturally, being fairly well used to a whaleship.

We weighed at last, one morning, with a beautiful breeze, and, bidding a long farewell to the lovely isles and

their amiable inhabitants, stood at sea, bound for the "line" or equatorial grounds on our legitimate business

of sperm whaling. It was now a long while since we had been in contact with a cachalot, the last one having

been killed by us on the Coast of Japan some six months before. But we all looked forward to the coming

campaign with considerable joy, for we were now a happy family, interested in the work, and, best of all,

even if the time was still distant, we were, in a sense, homeward bound. At any rate, we all chose so to think,

from the circumstance that we were now working to the southward, towards Cape Horn, the rounding of

We had, during our stay at Honolulu, obtained a couple of grand boats in addition to our stock, and were now

in a position to man and lower five at once, if occasion should arise, still leaving sufficient crew on board to

work the vessel. The captain had also engaged an elderly seaman of his acquaintanceout of pure

philanthropy, as we all thought, since he was in a state of semi starvation ashoreto act as a kind of

sailingmaster, so as to relieve the captain of ship duty at whaling time, allowing him still to head his boat.

This was not altogether welcome news to me, for, much as I liked the old man and admired his pluck, I could

not help dreading his utter recklessness when on a whale, which had so often led to a smashup that might

have been easily avoided. Moreover, I reasoned that if he had been foolhardy before, he was likely to be

much more so now, having no superior to look black or use language when a disaster occurred. For now I

was his harpooner, bound to take as many risks as be chose to incur, and anxious also to earn a reputation

among the more seasoned whalemen for smartness sufficient to justify my promotion.

The Kanakas shipped at Honolulu were distributed among the boats, two to each, being already trained

whalemen, and a fine lot of fellows they were. My twoSamuela and Pollywere not very big men, but

sturdy, nimble as cats, as much at home in the water as on deck, and simply bubbling over with fun and

goodhumour, From my earliest seagoing, I have always had a strong liking for natives of tropical

countries, finding them affectionate and amenable to kindness. Why, I think, white men do not get on with

darkies well, as a rule, is, that they seldom make an appeal to the MAN, in them. It is very degrading to find

one's self looked down upon as a sort of animal without reason or feelings; and if you degrade a man, you

deprive him of any incentive to make himself useful, except the brute one you may feel bound to apply

yourself. My experience has been limited to Africans (of sorts), Kanakas, natives of Hindostan, Malagasy,

and Chinese; but with all these I have found a little COMARADERIE answer excellently. True, they are lazy;

but what inducement have they to work? The complicated needs of our civilized existence compel US to

work, or be run over by the unresting machine; but I take leave to doubt whether any of us with a primitive

environment would not be as lazy as any Kanaka that ever dozed under a banana tree through daylight hours.

Why, then, make an exalted virtue of the necessity which drives us, and objurgate the poor black man

because he prefers present ease to a doubtful prospective retirement on a competency? Australian

blackfellows and Malays are said to be impervious to kind treatment by a great number of witnesses, the

former appearing incapable of gratitude, and the latter unable to resist the frequent temptation to kill

somebody. Not knowing anything personally of either of these races, I can say nothing for or against them.

All the coloured individuals that I have had to do with have amply repaid any little kindness shown them with

fidelity and affection, but especially has this been the case with Kanakas, The soft and melodious language

spoken by them is easy to acquire, and is so pleasant to speak that it is well worth learning, to say nothing of

the convenience to yourself, although the Kanaka speedily picks up the mutilated jargon which does duty for

What I specially longed for now was a harpooner, or even two, so that I might have my boat to myself, the

captain taking his own boat with a settled harpooner. Samuela, the biggest of my two Kanakas, very earnestly

informed me that he was no end of a "number one" whale slaughterer; but I judged it best to see how things

went before asking to have him promoted. My chance, and his, came very promptly; so nicely arranged, too,

that I could not have wished for anything better. The skipper had got a fine, healthy boil on one kneecap,

and another on his wrist, so that he was, as you may say, HORS DE COMBAT. While he was impatiently

waiting to get about once more, sperm whales were raised. Although nearly frantic with annoyance, he was

compelled to leave the direction of things to Mr. Cruce, who was quite puffed up with the importance of his

Such a nice little school of cowwhales, a lovely breeze, clear sky, warm weatherI felt as gay as a lark at

the prospect. As we were reaching to windward, with all boats ready for lowering, the skipper called me aft

and said, "Naow, Mr. Bullen, I cain't lower, because of this condemned leg'n arm of mine; but how'r yew

goin' ter manage 'thout a harpooneer?" I suggested that if he would allow me to try Samuela, who was

suffering for a chance to distinguish himself, we would "come out on top." "All right," he said; "but let the

other boats get fast first, 'n doan be in too much of a hurry to tie yerself up till ya see what's doin'. If

everythin's goin' biznessfashion', 'n yew git a chance, sail right in; yew got ter begin some time. But ef thet

Kanaka looks skeered goin' on, take the iron frum him ter onct." I promised, and the interview ended.

When I told Samuela, of his chance, he was beside himself with joy. As to his being scared, the idea was

manifestly absurd. He was as pleased with the prospect as it was possible for a man to be, and hardly able to

contain himself for impatience to be off. I almost envied him his exuberant delight, for a sense of

We gained a good weathergage, rounded to, and lowered four boats. Getting away in good style, we had

barely got the sails up, when something gallied the school. We saw or heard nothing to account for it, but

undoubtedly the "fish" were off at top speed dead to windward, so that our sails were of no use. We had them

in with as little delay as possible, and lay to our oars for all we were worth, being fresh and strong, as well as

anxious to get amongst them. But I fancy all our efforts would have availed us little had it not been for the

experience of Mr. Cruce, whose eager eye detected the fact that the fish were running on a great curve, and

Two and a half hours of energetic work was required of us before we got on terms with the fleeing monsters;

but at last, to our great joy, they broke water from sounding right among us. It was a considerable surprise,

but we were all ready, and before they had spouted twice, three boats were fast, only myself keeping out, in

accordance with my instructions. Samuela was almost distraught with rage and grief at the condition of

things. I quite pitied him, although I was anything but pleased myself. However, when I ranged up alongside

the mate's fish, to render what assistance was needed, he shouted to me, "We's all right; go'n git fas', if yew

kin." That was enough, and away we flew after a retreating spout to leeward. Before we got there, though,

there was an upheaval in the water just ahead, and up came a back like a keelless ship bottom up. Out came

the head belonging to it, and a spout like an explosion burst forth, denoting the presence of an enormous

bullcachalot. Close by his side was a cow of about onethird his size, the favoured sultana of his harem, I

suppose. Prudence whispered, "Go for the cow;" ambition hissed, "All or nonethe bull, the bull."

Fortunately emergencies of this kind leave one but a second or two to decide, as a rule; in this case, as it

happened, I was spared even that mental conflict, for as we ran up between the two vast creatures, Samuela,

never even looking at the cow, hurled his harpoon, with all the energy that he had been bursting with so long,

at the mighty bull. I watched its flightsaw it enter the black mass and disappear to the shaft, and almost

immediately came the second iron, within a foot of the first, burying itself in the same solid fashion.

"Starnstarn all!" I shouted; and we backed slowly away, considerably hampered by the persistent attentions

of the cow, who hung round us closely. The temptation to lance her was certainly great, but I remembered the

fate that had overtaken the skipper on the first occasion we struck whales, and did not meddle with her

ladyship. Our prey was not apparently disposed to kick up much fuss at first, so, anxious to settle matters, I

changed ends with Samuela, and pulled in on the whale. A good, steady lancethrustthe first I had ever

deliveredwas obtained, sending a thrill of triumph through my whole body. The recipient, thoroughly

roused by this, started off at a great lick, accompanied, somewhat to my surprise, by the cow. Thenceforward

for another hour, in spite of all our efforts, we could not get within striking distance, mainly because of the

close attention of the cow, which stuck to her lord like a calf to its mother. I was getting so impatient of this

hindrance, that it was all I could do to restrain myself from lancing the cow, though I felt convinced that, if I

did, I should spoil a good job. Suddenly I caught sight of the ship right ahead. We were still flying along, so

that in a short time we were comparatively close to her. My heart beat high and I burned to distinguish myself

None of the other boats were in sight, from our level at least, so that I had a reasonable hope of being able to

finish my game, with all the glory thereunto attaching, unshared by any other of my fellowofficers. As we

ran quite closely past the ship, calling on the crew to haul up for all they were worth, we managed actually to

squeeze past the cow, and I got in a really deadly blow. The point of the lance entered just between the fin

and the eye, but higher up, missing the broad plate of the shoulderblade, and sinking its whole four feet over

the hitches right down into the animal's vitals. Then, for the first time, he threw up his flukes, thrashing them

from side to side almost round to his head, and raising such a turmoil that we were half full of water in a

moment. But Samuela was so quick at the steeroar, so lithe and forceful, and withal appeared so to

After a few moments of this tremendous exertion, our victim settled down, leaving the water deeply stained

with his gushing blood. With him disappeared his constant companion, the faithful cow, who had never left

his side a minute since we first got fast. Down, down they went, until my line began to look very low, and I

was compelled to make signals to the ship for more. We had hardly elevated the oars, when down dropped

the last boat with four men in her, arriving by my side in a few minutes with two fresh tubs of towline. We

took them on board, and the boat returned again. By the time the slack came we had about four hundred and

fifty fathoms outa goodly heap to pile up loose in our sternsheets. I felt sure, however, that we should

have but little more trouble with our fish; in fact, I was half afraid that he would die before getting to the

surface, in which case he might sink and be lost. We hauled steadily away, the line not coming in very easily,

until I judged there was only about another hundred fathoms out. Our amazement may be imagined, when

suddenly we were compelled to sleek away again, the sudden weight on the line suggesting that the fish was

again sounding. If ever a young hand was perplexed, it was I. Never before had I heard of such unseemly

behaviour, nor was my anxiety lessened when I saw, a short distance away, the huge body of my prize at the

surface spouting blood. At the same time, I was paying out line at a good rate, as if I had a fast fish on which

The skipper had been watching me very closely from his seat on the taffrail, and had kept the ship within easy

distance. Now, suspecting something out of the common, he sent the boat again to my assistance, in charge of

the cooper. When that worthy arrived, he said, "Th' ol' man reckens yew've got snarled erp'ith thet ar' loose

keow, 'n y'r irons hev draw'd from th' other. I'm gwine ter wait on him,'n get him 'longside 'soon's he's out'er

his flurry. Ole man sez yew'd best wait on what's fast t' yer an' nev' mine th' other." Away he went, reaching

my prize just as the last feeble spout exhaled, leaving the dregs of that great flood of life trickling lazily down

from the widely expanded spiracle. To drive a harpoon into the carcass, and run the line on board, was the

simplest of jobs, for, as the captain had foreseen, my irons were drawn clean. I had no leisure to take any

notice of them now, though, for whatever was on my line was coming up handoverfist.

With a bound it reached the surfacethe identical cow so long attendant upon the dead whale. Having been

so long below for such a small whale, she was quite exhausted, and before she had recovered we had got

alongside of her and lanced her, so thoroughly that she died without a struggle. The ship was so close that we

When I reached the deck, the skipper called me, and said several things that made me feel about six inches

taller. He was, as may be thought, exceedingly pleased, saying that only once in his long career had he seen a

similar case; for I forgot to mention that the line was entangled around the cow's downhanging jaw, as if she

had actually tried to bite in two the rope that held her consort, and only succeeded in sharing his fate. I would

not like to say that whales do not try to thus sever a line, but, their teeth being several inches apart, conical,

and fitting into sockets in the upper jaw instead of meeting the opposed surfaces of other teeth, the

The ship being now as good as anchored by the vast mass of flesh hanging to her, there was a tremendous

task awaiting us to get the other fish alongside. Of course they were all to windward; they nearly always are,

unless the ship is persistently "turned to windward" while the fishing is going on. Whalers believe that they

always work up into the wind while fast, and, when dead, it is certain that they drift at a pretty good rate right

in the "wind's eye." This is accounted for by the play of the body, which naturally lies head to wind; and the

wash of the flukes, which, acting somewhat like the "sculling" of an oar at the stern of a boat, propel the

carcass in the direction it is pointing, Consequently we had a cruel amount of towing to do before we got the

three cows alongside. Many a time we blessed ourselves that they were no bigger, for of all the clumsy things

to tow with boats, a sperm whale is about the worst. Offing to the great square mass of the heed, they can

hardly be towed headon at all, the practice being to cut off the tips of the flukes, and tow them tail first. But

even then it is slavery. To dip your oar about three times in the same hole from whence you withdrew it, to

tug at it with all your might, apparently making as much progress as though you were fast to a dockwall,

and to continue this fun for four or five hours at a stretch, is to wonder indeed whether you have not mistaken

However, "it's dogged as does it," so by dint of sheer sticking to the oar, we eventually succeeded in getting

all our prizes alongside before eight bells that evening, securing them around us by hawsers to the cows, but

We were a busy company for a fortnight thence, until the last of the oil was run belowtwo hundred and

fifty barrels, or twenty five tuns, of the valuable fluid having rewarded our exertions. During these

operations we had drifted night and day, apparently without anybody taking the slightest account of the

direction we were taking; when, therefore, on the day after clearing up the last traces of our fishing, the cry of

"Land ho!" came ringing down from the crow'snest, no one was surprised, although the part of the Pacific in

which we were cruising has but few patches of TERRA FIRMA scattered about over its immense area when

We could not see the reported land from the deck for two hours after it was first seen from aloft, although the

odd spectacle of a scattered group of cocoanut trees apparently growing out of the sea was for some time

presented to us before the island itself came into view. It was Christmas Island, where the indefatigable

Captain Cook landed on December 24, 1777, for the purpose of making accurate observations of an eclipse of

the sun. He it was who gave to this lonely atoll the name it has ever since borne, with characteristic modesty

giving his own great name to a tiny patch of coral which almost blocks the entrance to the central lagoon.

Here we lay "off and on" for a couple of days, while foraging parties went ashore, returning at intervals with

abundance of turtle and seafowls' eggs. But any detailed account of their proceedings must be ruthlessly

The line whaling grounds embrace an exceedingly extensive area, over the whole of which sperm whales may

be found, generally of medium size. No means of estimating the probable plenty or scarcity of them in any

given part of the grounds exist, so that falling in with them is purely a matter of coincidence. To me it seems

a conclusive proof of the enormous numbers of sperm whales frequenting certain large breadths of ocean, that

they should be so often fallen in with, remembering what a little spot is represented by a day's cruise, and that

the signs which denote almost infallibly the vicinity of right whales are entirely absent in the case of the

cachalot. In the narrow waters of the Greenland seas, with quite a small number of vessels seeking, it is

hardly possible for a whale of any size to escape being seen; but in the open ocean a goodly fleet may cruise

over a space of a hundred thousand square miles without meeting any of the whales that may yet be there in

large numbers. So that when one hears talk of the extinction of the cachalot, it is well to bear in mind that

such a thing would take a long series of years to effect, even were the whaling business waxing instead of

waning, While, however, South Sea whaling is conducted on such oldworld methods as still obtain; while

steam, with all the power it gives of rapidly dealing with a catch, is not made use of, the art and mystery of

the whalefisher must continually decrease. No such valuable lubricant has ever been found as sperm oil; but

the cost of its production, added to the precarious nature of the supply, so handicaps it in the competition with

substitutes that it has been practically eliminated from the English markets, except in such greatly adulterated

Except to a few whose minds to them are kingdoms, and others who can hardly be said to have any minds at

all, the long monotony of unsuccessful seeking for whales is very wearying. The ceaseless motion of the

vessel rocking at the centre of a circular space of blue, with a perfectly symmetrical dome of azure enclosing

her above, unflecked by a single cloud, becomes at last almost unbearable from its changeless sameness of

environment. Were it not for the trivial round and common task of everyday ship duty, some of the crew must

become idiotic, or, in sheer rage at the want of interest in their lives, commit mutiny.

Such a weary time was ours for full four weeks after sighting Christmas Island. The fine haul we had

obtained just previous to that day seemed to have exhausted our luck for the time being, for never a spout did

we see. And it was with no ordinary delight that we hailed the advent of an immense school of blackfish, the

first we had run across for a long time. Determined to have a big catch, if possible, we lowered all five boats,

as it was a beautifully calm day, and the ship might almost safely have been left to look after herself. After

what we had recently been accustomed to, the game seemed trifling to get up much excitement over; but still,

In less than ten minutes we were in the thick of the crowd, with harpoons flying right and left. Such a scene

of wild confusion and uproarious merriment ensued as I never saw before in my life. The skipper, true to his

traditions, got fast to four, all running different ways at once, and making the calm sea boil again with their

frantic gyrations. Each of the other boats got hold of three; but, the mate getting too near me, our fish got so

inextricably tangled up that it was hopeless to try and distinguish between each other's prizes. However, when

we got the lances to work among them, the hubbub calmed down greatly, and the big bodies one by one

So far, all had been gay; but the unlucky second mate must needs go and do a thing that spoiled a day's fun

entirely. The line runs through a deep groove in the boat's stem, over a brass roller so fitted that when the line

is running out it remains fixed, but when hauling in it revolves freely, assisting the work a great deal. The

second mate had three fish fast, like the rest of usthe first one on the end of the main line, the other two on

"short warps," or pieces of whaleline some eight or ten fathoms long fastened to harpoons, with the other

ends running on the main line by means of bowlines round it. By some mistake or other he had allowed the

two lines to be hauled together through the groove in his boat's stem, and before the error was noticed two

fish spurted off in opposite directions, ripping the boat in two halves lengthways, like a Dutchman splitting a

Away went the fish with the whole of the line, nobody being able to get at it to cut; and, but for the presence

of mind shown by the crew in striking out and away from the tangle, a most ghastly misfortune, involving the

loss of several lives, must have occurred. As it was, the loss was considerable, almost outweighing the gain

on the day's fishing, besides the inconvenience of having a boat useless on a whaling grounds.

The accident was the fruit of gross carelessness, and should never have occurred; but then, strange to say,

disasters to whaleboats are nearly always due to want of care, the percentage of unavoidable casualties

being very small as compared with those like the one just related. When the highly dangerous nature of the

work is remembered, this statement may seem somewhat overdrawn; but it has been so frequently

corroborated by others, whose experience far outweighs my own, that I do not hesitate to make it with the

Happily no lives were lost on this occasion, for it would have indeed been grievous to have seen our

shipmates sacrificed to the MANES of a mere blackfish, after successfully encountering so many mighty

whales. The episode gave us a great deal of unnecessary work getting the two halves of the boat saved, in

addition to securing our fish, so that by the time we got the twelve remaining carcasses hove on deck we were

all quite fagged out. But under the new regime we were sure of a good rest, so that did not trouble us; it rather

made the lounge on deck in the balmy evening air and the wellfilled pipe of peace doubly sweet.

Our next day's work completed the skinning of the haul we had made, the last of the carcasses going

overboard with a thunderous splash at four in the afternoon. The assemblage of sharks round the ship on this

occasion was incredible for its number and the great size of the creatures. Certainly no mariners see so many

or such huge sharks as whalemen; but, in spite of all our previous experience, this day touched highwater

mark. Many of these fish were of a size undreamed of by the ordinary seafarer, some of them full thirty feet

in length, more like whales than sharks. Most of them were striped diagonally with bands of yellow,

contrasting curiously with the dingy grey of their normal colour. From this marking is derived their popular

name"tiger sharks," not, as might be supposed, from their ferocity. That attribute cannot properly be

applied to the SQUALUS at all, which is one of the most timid fish afloat, and whose ill name, as far as

regards bloodthirstiness, is quite undeserved. Rapacious the shark certainly is; but what seafish is not? He

is not at all particular as to his diet; but what seafish is? With such a great bulk of body, such enormous

vitality and vigour to support, he must needs be ever eating; and since he is not constructed on swift enough

lines to enable him to prey upon living fish, like most of his neighbours, he is perforce compelled to play the

He eats man, as he eats anything else eatable because in the water man is easily caught, and not from natural

depravity or an acquired taste begetting a decided preference for human flesh. All natives of shores infested

by sharks despise him and his alleged maneating propensities, knowing that a very feeble splashing will

suffice to frighten him away even if ever so hungry. Demerara River literally swarms with sharks, yet I have

often seen a negro, clad only in a beaming smile, slip into its muddy waters, and, after a few sharp blows with

his open hand upon the surface, calmly swim down to the bottom, clear a ship's anchor, or do whatever job

was required, coming up again as leisurely as if in a swimmingbath. A similar disregard of the dangerous

attributes awarded by popular consent to the shark may be witnessed everywhere among the people who

know him best. The cruelties perpetrated upon sharks by seamen generally are the result of ignorance and

superstition combined, the most infernal forces known to humanity. What would be said at home of such an

act, if it could be witnessed among us, as the disembowelling of a tiger, say, and then letting him run in that

horrible condition somewhere remote from the possibility of retaliating upon his torturers? Yet that is hardly

comparable with a similar atrocity performed upon a shark, because he will live hours to the tiger's minutes in

I once caught a shark nine feet long, which we hauled on board and killed by cutting off its head and tail. It

died very speedilyfor a sharkall muscular motion ceasing in less than fifteen minutes. It was my

intention to prepare that useless and unornamental article so dear to sailorsa walkingstick made of a

shark's backbone. But when I came to cut out the vertebra, I noticed a large scar, extending from one side to

the other, right across the centre of the back. Beneath it the backbone was thickened to treble its normal size,

and perfectly rigid; in fact, it had become a mass of solid bone. At some time or other this shark had been

harpooned so severely that, in wrenching himself free, he must have nearly torn his body in two halves,

severing the spinal column completely. Yet such a wound as that had been healed by natural process, the

bone knit together again with many times the strength it had beforeminus, of course, its flexibilityand I

can testify from the experience of securing him that he could not possibly have been more vigorous than he

A favourite practice used to beI trust it is so no longerto catch a shark, and, after driving a sharpened

stake down through his upper jaw and out underneath the lower one, so that its upper portion pointed

diagonally forward, to let him go again. The consequence of this cruelty would be that the fish was unable to

open his mouth, or go in any direction without immediately coming to the surface. How long he might linger

in such torture, one can only guess; but unless his fellows, finding him thus helpless, came along and kindly

Two more small cows were all that rewarded our search during the next fortnight, and we began to feel

serious doubts as to the success of our season upon the line grounds, after all. Still, on the whole, our voyage

up to the present had not been what might fairly be called unsuccessful, for we were not yet two years away

from New Bedford, while we had considerably more than two thousand barrels of oil on boardmore, in

fact, than two thirds of a full cargo. But if a whale were caught every other day for six months, and then a

month elapsed without any being seen, grumbling would be loud and frequent, all the previous success being

forgotten in the present stagnation. Perhaps it is not so different in other professions nearer home?

Christmas Day drew near, beloved of Englishmen all the world over, though thought little of by Americans.

The two previous ones spent on board the CACHALOT have been passed over without mention, absolutely

no notice being taken of the season by any one on board, to all appearance. In English ships some attempt is

always made to give the day somewhat of a festive character, and to maintain the national tradition of

goodcheer and goodwill in whatever part of the world you may happen to be. For some reason or other,

perhaps because of the great increase in comfort; we had all experienced lately, I felt the approach of the

great Christian anniversary very strongly; although, had I been in London, I should probably have spent it in

lonely gloom, having no relatives or friends whom I might visit. But what of that? Christmas is Christmas;

and, if we have no home, we think of the place where our home should be; and whether, as cynics sneer,

Dickens invented the English Christmas or not, its observance has taken deep root among us. May its shadow

On Christmas morning I mounted to the crow'snest at daybreak, and stood looking with neverfailing awe

at the daily marvel of the sunrise. Often and often have I felt choking for words to express the tumult of

thoughts aroused by this sublime spectacle. Hanging there in cloudland, the tiny microcosm at one's feet

forgotten, the grandeur of the celestial outlook is overwhelming. Many and many a time I have bowed my

head and wept in pure reverence at the majesty manifested around me while the glory of the dawn increased

For some time I stood gazing straight ahead of me with eyes that saw not, filled with wonder and admiration.

I must have been looking directly at the same spot for quite a quarter of an hour, when suddenly, as if I had

but just opened my eyes, I saw the wellknown bushy spout of a sperm whale. I raised the usual yell, which

rang through the stillness discordantly, startling all hands out of their lethargy like bees out of a hive. After

the usual preliminaries, we were all afloat with sails set, gliding slowly over the sleeping sea towards the

unconscious objects of our attention. The captain did not lower this time, as there only appeared to be three

fish, none of them seeming large. Though at any distance it is extremely difficult to assess the size of whales,

the spout being very misleading. Sometimes a fullsized whale will show a small spout, while a

twentybarrel cow will exhale a volume of vapour extensive enough for two or three at once.

Now although, according to etiquette, I kept my position in the rear of my superior officers, I had fully

determined in my own mind, being puffed up with previous success, to play second fiddle to no one, if I

could help it, this time. Samuela was decidedly of the same opinion; indeed, I believe he would have been

delighted to tackle a whole school singlehanded, while my crew were all willing and eager for the fight. We

had a long, tedious journey before we came up with them, the wind being so light that even with the

occasional assistance of the paddles our progress was wretchedly slow. When at last we did get into their

water, and the mate's harpooner stood up to dart, his foot slipped, and down he came with a clatter enough to

scare a cachalot twenty miles away. It gallied our friends effectually, sending them flying in different

directions at the top of their speed. But being some distance astern of the other boats, one of the fish, in his

headlong retreat, rose for a final blow some six or seven fathoms away, passing us in the opposite direction.

His appearance was only momentary, yet in that moment Samuela hurled his harpoon into the air, where it

described a beautiful parabola, coming down upon the disappearing monster's back just as the sea was closing

over it. Oh, it was a splendid dart, worthy of the finest harpooner that ever lived! There was no time for

congratulations, however, for we spun round as on a pivot, and away we went in the wake of that fellow at a

great rate. I cast one look astern to see whether the others had struck, but could see nothing of them; we

The speed of our friend was marvellous, but I comforted myself with the knowledge that these animals

usually run in circles sometimes, it is true, of enormous diameter, but seldom getting far away from their

startingpoint. But as the time went on, and we seemed to fly over the waves at undiminished speed, I began

to think this whale might be the exception necessary to prove the rule, so I got out the compass and watched

his course. Due east, not a degree to north or south of it, straight as a bee to its hive. The ship was now far out

of sight astern, but I knew that keen eyes had been watching our movements from the masthead, and that

every effort possible would be made to keep the run of us. The speed of our whale was not only great, but

unflagging. He was more like a machine than an animal capable of tiring; and though we did our level best, at

the faintest symptom of slackening, to get up closer and lance him, it was for some time impossible. After, at

a rough estimate, running in a direct easterly course for over two hours, he suddenly sounded, without having

given us the ghost of a chance to "land him one where he lived." Judging from his previous exertions, though,

it was hardly possible he would be able to stay down long, or get very deep, as the strain upon these vast

creatures at any depth is astonishingly exhausting. After a longer stay below than usual, when they have gone

extra deep, they often arrive at the surface manifestly "done up" for a time. Then, if the whaleman be active

and daring, a few welldirected strokes may be got in which will promptly settle the business out of hand.

Now, when my whale sounded he was to all appearance as frightened a beast as one could wishone who

had run himself out endeavouring to get away from his enemies, and as a last resource had dived into the

quietness below in the vain hope to get away. So I regarded him, making up my mind to wait on him with

diligence upon his arrival, and not allow him to get breath before I had settled him. But when he did return,

there was a mighty difference in him. He seemed as if he had been getting some tips on the subject from

some school below where whales are trained to hunt men; for his first move was to come straight for me with

a furious rush, carrying the war into the enemy's country with a vengeance. It must be remembered that I was

but young, and a comparatively new hand at this sort of thing; so when I confess that I felt more than a little

scared at this sudden change in the tactics of my opponent, I hope I shall be excused. Remembering,

however, that all our lives depended on keeping cool, I told myself that even if I was frightened I must not go

all to pieces, but compel myself to think and act calmly, since I was responsible for others. If the animal had

not been in so blind a fury, I am afraid my task would have been much harder; but he was mad, and his

savage rushes were, though disquieting, unsystematic and clumsy. It was essential, however, that he should

not be allowed to persist too long in his evil courses; for a whale learns with amazing rapidity, developing

such cunning in an hour or two that all a man's smartness may be unable to cope with his newly acquired

experience. Happily, Samuela was perfectly unmoved. Like a machine, he obeyed every gesture, every look

even, swinging the boat "off" or "on" the whale with such sweeping strokes of his mighty oar that she

revolved as if on a pivot, and encouraging the other chaps with his cheerful cries and odd grimaces, so that

the danger was hardly felt. During a momentary lull in the storm, I took the opportunity to load my

bombgun, much as I disliked handling the thing, keeping my eye all the time on the water around where I

expected to see mine enemy popping up murderously at any minute. Just as I had expected, when he rose, it

was very close, and on his back, with his jaw in the first biting position, looking ugly as a vision of death.

Finding us a little out of reach, he rolled right over towards us, presenting as he did so the great rotundity of

his belly. We were not twenty feet away, and I snatched up the gun, levelled it, and fired the bomb

pointblank into his bowels. Then all was blank. I do not even remember the next moment. A rush of roaring

waters, a fighting with fearful, desperate energy for air and life, all in a hurried, flurried phantasmagoria

about which there was nothing clear except the primitive desire for life, life, life! Nor do I know how long

this struggle lasted, except that, in the nature of things, it could not have been very long.

When I returned to a consciousness of external things, I was for some time perfectly still, looking at the sky,

totally unable to realize what had happened or where I was. Presently the smiling, pleasant face of Samuel

bent over me. Meeting my gratified look of recognition, he set up a perfect yell of delight. "So glad, so glad

you blonga life! No go Davy Jonesy dis time, hay?" I put my hand out to help myself to a sitting posture, and

touched blubber. That startled me so that I sprung up as if shot. Then I took in the situation at a glance. There

were all my poor fellows with me, stranded upon the top of our late antagonist, but no sign of the boat to be

seen. Bewildered at the state of affairs, I looked appealingly from one to the other for an explanation. I got it

from Abner, who said, laconically, "When yew fired thet ole gun, I guess it mus' have bin loaded fer bear, fer

ye jest tumbled clar head over heels backwards outen the boat. Et that very same moment I suspicion the

bomb busted in his belly, fer he went clean rampageous loony. He rolled right over an' over to'rds us, n' befo'

we c'd rightly see wat wuz comin', we cu'dnt see anythin' 'tall; we wuz all grabbin' at nothin', some'rs

underneath the whale. When I come to the top, I lit eout fer the fust thing I c'd see to lay holt of, which wuz

old squarhead himself, deader 'n pork. I guess thet ar bomb o' yourn kinder upset his commissary department.

Anyway, I climed up onto him, 'n bimeby the rest ov us histed themselves alongside ov me. Sam Weller

here; he cum last, towin' you 'long with him. I don'no whar he foun' ye, but ye was very near a goner, 'n's full

o' pickle as ye c'd hold." I turned a grateful eye upon my dusky harpooner, who had saved my life, but was

Behold us, then, a halfdrowned row of scarecrows perched, like some new species of dilapidated birds, upon

the side of our late foe. The sun was not so furiously hot as usual, for masses of rainladen NIMBI were

filling the sky, so that we were comparatively free from the awful roasting we might have expected: nor was

our position as precarious for a while as would be thought. True, we had only one harpoon, with its still fast

line, to hold on by; but the side of the whale was somehow hollowed, so that, in spite of the incessant

movement imparted to the carcass by the swell, we sat fairly safe, with our feet in the said hollow. We

discussed the situation in all its bearings, unable to extract more than the faintest gleam of hope from any

aspect of the case. The only reasonable chance we had was, that the skipper had almost certainly taken our

bearings, and would, we were sure, be anxiously seeking us on the course thus indicated. Meanwhile, we

were ravenously hungry and thirsty. Samuela and Polly set to work with their sheathknives, and soon

excavated a space in the blubber to enable them to reach the meat. Then they cut off some goodsized junks,

and divided it up. It was not half bad; and as we chewed on the tough black fibre, I could hardly help smiling

as I thought how queer a Christmas dinner we were having. But eating soon heightened our thirst, and our

real sufferings then began. We could eat very little once the want of drink made itself felt. Hardly two hours

had elapsed, though, before one of the bigbellied clouds which bad been keeping the sun off us most

considerately emptied out upon us a perfect torrent of rain. It filled the cavity in the whale's side in a

twinkling; and though the water was greasy, stained with blood, and vilely flavoured, it was as welcome a

drink as I have ever tasted. Thus fed, and with our thirst slaked, we were able to take a more hopeful view of

things while the prospect of our being found seemed much more probable than it had done before the rain

Still, we had to endure our pillory for a long while yet. The sharks and birds began to worry us, especially the

former, who in their eagerness to get a portion of the blubber, fought, writhed and tore at the carcass with

tireless energy. Once, one of the smaller ones actually came sliding up right into our hollow; but Samuela and

Polly promptly dispatched him with a cut throat, sending him back to encourage the others. The present

relieved us of most of their attentions for a short time at least, as they eagerly divided the remains of their late

To while away the time we spun yarnswithout much point, I am afraid; and sung songs, albeit we did not

feel much like singing till after a while our poor attempts at gaiety fizzled out like a damp match, leaving

us silent and depressed. The sun, which had been hidden for some time, now came out again, his slanting

beams revealing to us ominously the flight of time and the near approach of night. Should darkness overtake

us in our present position, we all felt that saving us would need the performance of a miracle; for in addition

to the chances of the accumulated gases within the carcass bursting it asunder, the unceasing assault of the

sharks made it highly doubtful whether they would not in a few hours more have devoured it piecemeal.

Already they had scooped out some deep furrows in the solid blubber, making it easier to get hold and tear

off more, and their numbers were increasing so fast that the surrounding sea was fairly alive with them.

Lower and lower sank the sun, deeper and darker grew the gloom upon our faces, till suddenly Samuela

leaped to his feet in our midst, and emitted a yell so earpiercing as to nearly deafen us. He saw the ship!

Before two minutes had passed we all saw herGod bless her!coming down upon us like some angelic

messenger. There were no fears among us that we should be overlooked. We knew full well how anxiously

and keenly many pairs of eyes had been peering over the sea in search of us, and we felt perfectly sure they

had sighted us long ago. On she came, gilded by the evening glow, till she seemed glorified, moving in a halo

of celestial light, all her homeliness and clumsy build forgotten in what she then represented to us.

Never before or since has a ship looked like that, to me, nor can I ever forget the thankfulness, the delight, the

reverence, with which I once more saw her approaching. Straight down upon us she bore, rounding to within

a cable's length, and dropping a boat simultaneously with her windward sweep. They had no whalewell for

us they had not. In five minutes we were on board, while our late restingplace was being hauled alongside

The captain shook hands with me cordially, poohpoohing the loss of the boat as an unavoidable incident of

the trade, but expressing his heartfelt delight at getting us all back safe. The whale we had killed was ample

compensation for the loss of several boats, though such was the vigour with which the sharks were going for

him, that it was deemed advisable to cut in at once, working all night. We who had been rescued, however,

were summarily ordered below by the skipper, and forbidden, on pain of his severe displeasure, to reappear

until the following morning. This great privilege we gladly availed ourselves of, awaking at daylight quite

The whale proved a great acquisition, for although not nearly so large as many we had caught, he was so

amazingly rich in blubber that he actually yielded twelve and a half tuns of oil, in spite of the heavy toll taken

of him by the hungry multitudes of sharks. In addition to the oil, we were fortunate enough to secure a lump

of ambergris, dislodged perhaps by the explosion of my bomb in the animal's bowels. It was nearly black,

waxlike to the touch, and weighed seven pounds and a half. At the current price, it would be worth about

L200, so that, taken altogether, the whale very nearly approached in value the largest one we had yet caught. I

had almost omitted to state that incorporated with the substance of the ambergris were several of the horny

cuttlefish beaks, which, incapable of being digested, had become in some manner part of this peculiar

Another three weeks' cruising brought us to the end of the season on the line, which had certainly not

answered all our expectations, although we had perceptibly increased the old barky's draught during our stay.

Whether from love of change or belief in the possibilities of a good haul, I can hardly say, but Captain Count

decided to make the best of his way south, to the middle group of the "Friendly" Archipelago, known as Vau

Vau, the other portions being called Hapai and Tongataboo respectively, for a season's "humpbacking." From

all I could gather, we were likely to have a good time there, so I looked forward to the visit with a great deal

We were bound to make a call at Vau Vau, in any case, to discharge our Kanakas shipped at Honolulu,

although I fervently hoped to be able to keep my brave harpooner Samuela. So when I heard of our

destination, I sounded him cautiously as to his wishes in the matter, finding that, while he was both pleased

with and proud of his position on board, he was longing greatly for his own orange grove and the embraces of

a certain tender "fafine" that he averred was there awaiting him. With such excellent reasons for his leaving

us, I could but forbear to persuade him, sympathizing with him too deeply to wish him away from such joys

So we bade farewell to the line grounds, and commenced another stretch to the south, another milestone, as it

were, on the long road home. Prosaic and uneventful to the last degree was our passage, the only incident

worth recording being our "gamming" of the PASSAMAQUODDY, of Martha's Vineyard, South Sea whaler;

eighteen months out, with one thousand barrels of sperm oil on board. We felt quite veterans alongside of her

crew, and our yarns laid over theirs to such an extent that they were quite disgusted at their lack of

experience. Some of them had known our late skipper, but none of them had a good word for him, the old

maxim, "Speak nothing but good of the dead," being most flagrantly set at nought. One of her crew was a

Amongst other experiences, he had, after "jumping the bounty" two or three times, found himself a sergeant

in the Federal Army before Gettysburg. During that most bloody battle, he informed me that a "Reb" drew a

bead on him at about a dozen yards' distance, and fired, He said he felt just as if somebody had punched him

in the chest, and knocked him flat on his back on top of a sharp stoneno pain at all, nor any further

recollection of what had happened, until he found himself at the base, in hospital. When the surgeons came to

examine him for the bullet, they found that it had struck the broad brass plate of his cross belt fairly in the

middle, penetrating it and shattering his breast bone. But after torturing him vilely with the probe, they were

about to give up the search in despair, when he told them he felt a pain in his back. Examining the spot

indicated by him, they found a bullet just beneath the skin, which a touch with the knife allowed to tumble

out. Further examination revealed the strange fact that the bullet, after striking his breastbone, had glanced

aside and travelled round his body just beneath the skin, without doing him any further harm. In proof of his

At another time, being in charge of a picket of Germans, he and his command were captured by a party of

Confederates, who haled him before their colonel, a southern gentleman of the old school. In the course of his

interrogation by the southern officer, he was asked where he bailed from. He replied, "London, England."

"Then," said the colonel, "how is it you find yourself fighting for these accursed Yankees?" The cockney

faltered out some feeble excuse or another, which his captor cut short by saying, "I've a great respect for the

English, and consequently I'll let you go this time. But if ever I catch you again, you're gone up. As for those

So with yarn, song, and dance, the evening passed pleasantly away; while the two old hookers jogged

amicably along side by side, like two markethorses whose drivers are having a friendly crack. Along about

midnight we exchanged crews again, and parted with many expressions of goodwillwe to the southward,

In process of time we made the land of Vau Vau, a picturesque, densely wooded, and in many places

precipitous, group of islands, the approach being singularly free from dangers in the shape of partly hidden

reefs. Long and intricate were the passages we threaded, until we finally came to anchor in a lovely little bay

perfectly sheltered from all winds. We moored, within a mile of a dazzling white beach, in twelve fathoms. A

few native houses embowered in orange and cocoanut trees showed here and there, while the two horns of

the bay were steepto, and covered with verdure almost down to the water's edge. The anchor was hardly

down before a perfect fleet of canoes flocked around us, all carrying the familiar balancing outrigger, without

which those narrow dugouts cannot possibly keep upright. Their occupants swarmed on board, laughing and

playing like so many children, and with all sorts of winning gestures and tones besought our friendship. "You

my flem?" was the one question which all asked; but what its import might be we could not guess for some

time. Byandby it appeared that when once you had agreed to accept a native for your "flem," or friend, he

from henceforward felt in duty bound to attend to all your wants which it lay within his power to supply. This

important preliminary settled, fruit and provisions of various kinds appeared as if by magic. Huge baskets of

luscious oranges, massive bunches of gold and green bananas, clusters of green cocoanuts, conchshells full

of chillies, fowls loudly protesting against their hard fate, gourds full of eggs, and a few vociferous

swineall came tumbling on board in richest profusion, and, strangest thing of all, not a copper was asked in

return. I might have as truly said nothing was asked, since money must have been useless here. Many women

came alongside, but none climbed on board. Surprised at this, I asked Samuela the reason, as soon as I could

disengage him for a few moments from the caresses of his friends. He informed me that the ladies' reluctance

to favour us with their society was owing to their being in native dress, which it is punishable to appear in

among white men, the punishment consisting of a rather heavy fine. Even the men and boys, I noticed, before

they ventured to climb on board, stayed a while to put on trousers, or what did duty for those useful articles of

dress. At any rate, they were all clothed, not merely enwrapped with a fold or two of "tapa," the native

She was a busy ship for the rest of that day. The anchor down, sails furled and decks swept, the rest of the

time was our own, and high jinks were the result. The islanders were amiability personified, merry as

children, nor did I see or hear one quarrelsome individual among them. While we were greedily devouring

the delicious fruit, which was piled on deck in mountainous quantities, they encouraged us, telling us that the

trees ashore were breaking down under their loads, and what a pity it was that there were so few to eat such

We were, it appeared, the first whaleship that had anchored there that year, and, in that particular bay where

we lay, no vessel had moored for over two years. An occasional schooner from Sydney called at the "town"

about ten miles away, where the viceroy's house was, and at the present time of speaking one of Godeffroi's

Hamburg ships was at anchor there, taking in an accumulation of copra from her agent's store. But the natives

all spoke of her with a shrug"No like Tashman. Tashman no good." Why, I could not ascertain.

Our Kanakas had promised to remain with us till our departure for the south, so, hard as it seemed to them,

they were not allowed to go ashore, in case they might not come back, and leave us shorthanded. But as

their relatives and friends could visit them whenever they felt inclined, the restriction did not hurt them much.

The next day, being Sunday, all hands were allowed liberty to go ashore by turns (except the Kanakas), with

strict injunctions to molest no one, but to behave as if in a big town guarded by policemen. As no money

could be spent, none was given, and, best of all, it was impossible to procure any intoxicating liquor.

Our party got ashore about 9.30, but not a soul was visible either on the beach or in the sunlit paths which

led through the forest inland. Here and there a house, with doors wide open, stood in its little cleared space,

silent and deserted. It was like a country without inhabitants. Presently, however, a burst of melody arrested

us, and borne upon the scented breeze came oh, so sweetly!the wellremembered notes of "Hollingside."

Hurriedly getting behind a tree, I let myself go, and had a perfectly lovely, soulrefreshing cry. Reads funny,

doesn't it? Sign of weakness perhaps. But when childish memories come back upon one torrentlike in the

swell of a hymn or the scent of the hawthorn, it seems to me that the floodgates open without you having

anything to do with it. When I was a little chap in the Lock Chapel choir, before the evil days came, that tune

was my favourite; and when I heard it suddenly come welling up out of the depths of the forest, my heart just

stood still for a moment, and then the tears came. Queer idea, perhaps, to some people; but I do not know

when I enjoyed myself so much as I did just then, except when a boy of sixteen home from a voyage, and

strolling along the Knightsbridge Road, I "happened" into the Albert Hall. I did not in the least know what

was coming; the notices on the bills did not mean anything to me; but I paid my shilling, and went up into the

gallery. I had hardly edged myself into a corner by the refreshmentstall, when a great breaker of sound

caught me, hurled me out of time, thought, and sense in one intolerable ecstasy"For unto us a Child is

born; unto us a Son is given"again and againbillows and billows of glory. I gasped for breath, shook

like one in an ague fit; the tears ran down in a continuous stream; while people stared amazed at me, thinking,

I suppose, that I was another drunken sailor. Well, I was drunk, helplessly intoxicated, but not with drink,

with something Divine, untellable, which, coming upon me unprepared, simply swept me away with it into a

But I am in the bush, whimpering over the tones of "Hollingside." As soon as I had pulled myself together a

bit, we went on again in the direction of the sound, Presently we came to a large clearing, in the middle of

which stood a neat wooden, pandanus thatched church. There were no doors or windows to it, just a roof

supported upon posts, but a wide verandah ran all round, upon the edge of which we seated ourselves; for the

place was fullfull to suffocation, every soul within miles, I should think, being there. No white men was

present, but the service, which was a sort of prayermeeting, went with a swing and go that was wonderful to

see. There was no perfunctory worship here; no one languidly enduring it because it was "the right sort of

thing to show up at, you know;" but all were in earnest, terribly in earnest. When they sang, it behoved us to

get away to a little distance, for the vigour of the voices, unless mellowed by distance, made the music

decidedly harsh. Every one was dressed in European clothingthe women in neat calico gowns; but the

men, nearly all of them, in woollen shirts, pilotcoats, and trousers to match, and seaboots! Whew! it nearly

stifled me to look at them. The temperature was about ninety degrees in the shade, with hardly a breath of air

stirring, yet those poor people, from some mistaken notion of propriety, were sweating in torrents under that

Arctic rig. However they could worship, I do not know! At last the meeting broke up. The men rushed out,

tore off their coats, trousers, and shirts, and flung themselves panting upon the grass, mothernaked, except

for a chaplet of cocoanut leaves, formed by threading them on a vinetendril, and hanging round the waist.

Squatting by the side of my "flem," whom I had recognized, I asked him why ever he outraged all reason by

putting on such clothes in this boiling weather. He looked at me pityingly for a moment before he replied,

"You go chapella Belitani? No put bes' close on top?" "Yes," I said; "but in hot weather put on thin clothes;

cold weather, put on thick ones." "S'pose no got more?" he said, meaning, I presumed, more than the one suit.

"Well," I said, "more better stop 'way than look like big fool, boil all away, same like duff in pot. You savvy

duff?" He smiled a wide comprehensive smile, but looked very solemn again, saying directly, "You no go

chapella; you no mishnally. No mishnally [missionary=godly]; very bad. Me no close; no go chapella; vely

bad. Evelly tangata, evelly fafine, got close all same papalang [every man and woman has clothes like a white

man]; go chapella all day Sunday." That this was no figure of speech I proved fully that day, for I declare that

the recess between any of the services never lasted more than an hour. Meanwhile the worshippers did not

return to their homes, for in many cases they had journeyed twenty or thirty miles, but lay about in the

verdure, refreshing themselves with fruit, principally the delightful green cocoanuts, which furnish meat and

We were all heartily welcome to whatever was going, but there was a general air of restraint, a fear of

breaking the Sabbath, which prevented us from trespassing too much upon the hospitality of these devout

children of the sun. So we contented ourselves with strolling through the beautiful glades and woods, lying

down, whenever we felt weary, under the shade of some spreading orange tree loaded with golden fruit, and

eating our fill, or rather eating until the smarting of our lips warned us to desist. Here was a land where,

apparently, all people were honest, for we saw a great many houses whose owners were absent, not one of

which was closed, although many had a goodly store of such things as a native might be supposed to covet.

At last, not being able to rid ourselves of the feeling that we were doing something wrong, the solemn silence

and Sundayfied air of the whole region seeming to forbid any levity even in the most innocent manner, we

returned on board again, wonderfully impressed with what we had seen, but wondering what would have

happened if some of the ruffianly crowds composing the crews of many ships had been let loose upon this

In the evening we lowered a stage over the bows to the water's edge, and had a swimmingmatch, the water

being perfectly delightful, after the great heat of the day, in its delicious freshness; and so to bunk, well

I have no doubt whatever that some of the gentry who swear at large about the evils of missionaries would

have been loud in their disgust at the entire absence of drink and debauchery, and the prevalence of what they

would doubtless characterize as adjective hypocrisy on the part of the natives; but no decent man could help

rejoicing at the peace, the security, and friendliness manifested on every hand, nor help awarding unstinted

praise to whoever had been the means of bringing about so desirable a state of things. I felt that their

Sabbatarianism was carried to excess; that they would have been better, not worse, for a little less church, and

a little more innocent fun; but ten thousand times better thus than such scenes of lust let loose and abandoned

animalism as we witnessed at Honolulu. What pleased me mightily was the absence of the white man with

his air of superiority and sleek overlordship. All the worship, all the management of affairs, was entirely in

the hands of the natives themselves, and excellently well did they manage everything.

I shall never forget once going ashore in a somewhat similar place, but very far distant, one Sunday morning,

to visit the mission station. It was a Church mission, and a very handsome building the church was. By the

side of it stood the parsonage, a beautiful bungalow, nestling in a perfect paradise of tropical flowers. The

somewhat intricate service was conducted, and the sermon preached, entirely by nativesvery creditably

too. After service I strolled into the parsonage to see the reverend gentleman in charge, whom I found

supporting his burden in a long chair, with a tall glass of brandy and soda within easy reach, a fine cigar

between his lips, and a late volume of Ouida's in his hand. All very pleasant and harmless, no doubt, but

hardly reconcilable with the ideal held up in missionary magazines. Yet I have no doubt whatever that this

gentleman would have been heartily commended by the very men who can hardly find words harsh enough to

express their opinion of missionaries of the stamp of Paton, Williams, Moffat, and Mackenzie.

Well, it is highly probablenay, almost certain, that I shall be accused of drawing an idyllic picture of native

life from first impressions, which, if I had only had sufficient subsequent experience among the people, I

should have entirely altered. All I can say is, that although I did not live among them ashore, we had a

number of them on board; we lay in the island harbour five months, during which I was ashore nearly every

day, and from habit I observed them very closely; yet I cannot conscientiously alter one syllable of what I

have written concerning them. Bad men and women there were, of course, to be foundas where not? but

the badness, in whatever form, was not allowed to flaunt itself, and was so sternly discountenanced by public

(entirely native) opinion, that it required a good deal of interested seeking to find.

But after all this chatter about my amiable friends, I find myself in danger of forgetting the purpose of our

visit. We lost no time in preparation, since whaling of whatever sort is conducted in these ships on precisely

similar lines, but on Monday morning, at daybreak, after a hurried breakfast, lowered all boats and

commenced the campaign. We were provided with boxes one for each boatcontaining a light luncheon,

but no ordered meal, because it was not considered advisable to in any way hamper the boat's freedom to

chase. Still, in consideration of its being promptly dumped overboard on attacking a whale, a goodly quantity

In the calm beauty of the pearly dawn, with a gentle hush over all nature, the lofty, treeclad hills reflected

with startling fidelity in the glassy, manycoloured waters, the only sound audible the occasional craaake

of the advanceguard of a flight of fruitbats (PECA) homeward from their nocturnal depredations, we

shipped our oars and started, pulling to a certain position whence we could see over an immense area.

Immediately upon rounding the horn of our sheltered bay, the fresh breeze of the southeast trades met us

right on end with a vigour that made a tenmile steady pull against it somewhat of a breather. Arriving at the

station indicated by the chief, we set sail, and, separating as far as possible without losing sight of each other,

settled down for the day's steady cruise. Anything more delightful than that excursion to those who love

seashore scenery combined with boatsailing would be difficult to name. Every variety of landscape, every

shape of strait, bay, or estuary, reefs awash, reefs over which we could sail, ablaze with loveliness

inexpressible; a steady, gentle, caressing breeze, and overhead one unvarying canopy of deepest blue.

Sometimes, when skirting the base of some tremendous cliffs, great caution was necessary, for at one

moment there would obtain a calm, death like in its stillness; the next, down through a canyon cleaving the

mountain to the water's edge would come rushing with a shrill howl, a blast fierce enough to almost lift us out

of the water. Away we would scud with flying sheets dead before it, in a smother of spray, but would hardly

get full way on her before it was gone, leaving us in the same hush as before, only a dark patch on the water

far to leeward marking its swift rush. These little diversions gave us no uneasiness, for it was an unknown

thing to make a sheet fast in one of our boats, so that a puff of wind never caught us unprepared.

On that first day we seemed to explore such a variety of stretches of water that one would hardly have

expected there could be any more discoveries to make in that direction. Nevertheless, each day's cruise

subsequently revealed to us some new nook or other, some quiet haven or pretty passage between islands

that, until closely approached, looked like one. When, at sunset, we returned to the ship, not having seen

anything like a spout, I felt like one who had been in a dream, the day's cruise having surpassed all my

previous experience. Yet it was but the precursor of many such. Oftentimes I think of those halcyon days,

with a sigh of regret that they can never more be renewed to me; but I rejoice to think that nothing can rob me

Much to the discomfort of the skipper, it was four days before a solitary spout was seen, and then it was so

nearly dark that before the fish could be reached it was impossible to distinguish her whereabouts. A careful

bearing was taken of the spot, in the hope that she might be lingering in the vicinity next morning, and we

Before it was fairly light we lowered, and paddled as swiftly as possible to the bay where we had last seen the

spout overnight. When near the spot we rested on our paddles a while, all hands looking out with intense

eagerness for the first sign of the whale's appearance. There was a strange feeling among us of unlawfulness

and stealth, as of ambushed pirates waiting to attack some unwary merchantman, or highwaymen waylaying a

fat alderman on a country road. We spoke in whispers, for the morning was so still that a voice raised but

ordinarily would have reverberated among the rocks which almost overhung us, multiplied indefinitely. A

turtle rose ghostlike to the surface at my side, lifting his queer head, and, surveying us with stony gaze,

What a sigh! One looked at the other inquiringly, but the repetition of that long expiration satisfied us all that

it was the placid breathing of the whale we sought somewhere close at hand, The light grew rapidly better,

and we strained our eyes in every direction to discover the whereabouts of our friend, but, for some minutes

without result. There was a ripple just audible, and away glided the mate's boat right for the near shore.

Following him with our eyes, we almost immediately beheld a pale, shadowy column of white, shimmering

against the dark mass of the cliff not a quarter of a mile away. Dipping our paddles with the utmost care, we

made after the chief, almost holding our breath. His harpooner rose, darted once, twice, then gave a yell of

triumph that ran reechoing all around in a thousand eerie vibrations, startling the drowsy PECA in myriads

from where they hung in inverted clusters on the trees above. But, for all the notice taken by the whale, she

might never have been touched. Close nestled to her side was a youngling of not more, certainly, than five

days old, which sent up its babyspout every now and then about two feet into the air. One long, winglike

fin embraced its small body, holding it close to the massive breast of the tender mother, whose only care

seemed to be to protect her young, utterly regardless of her own pain and danger. If sentiment were ever

permitted to interfere with such operations as ours, it might well have done so now; for while the calf

continually sought to escape from the enfolding fin, making all sorts of puny struggles in the attempt, the

mother scarcely moved from her position, although streaming with blood from a score of wounds. Once,

indeed, as a deepsearching thrust entered her very vitals, she raised her massy flukes high in air with an

apparently involuntary movement of agony; but even in that dire throe she remembered the possible danger to

her young one, and laid the tremendous weapon as softly down upon the water as if it were a feather fan.

So in the most perfect quiet, with scarcely a writhe, nor any sign of flurry, she died, holding the calf to her

side until her last vital spark had fled, and left it to a swift despatch with a single lancethrust. No slaughter

of a lamb ever looked more like murder. Nor, when the vast bulk and strength of the animal was considered,

could a mightier example have been given of the force and quality of maternal love.

The whole business was completed in half an hour from the first sight of her, and by the mate's hand alone,

none of the other boats needing to use their gear. As soon as she was dead, a hole was bored through the lips,

into which a towline was secured, the two long fins were lashed close into the sides of the animal by an

encircling line, the tips of the flukes were cut off, and away we started for the ship. We had an eightmile

tow in the blazing sun, which we accomplished in a little over eight, hours, arriving at the vessel just before

two p.m. News of our coming had preceded us, and the whole native population appeared to be afloat to

make us welcome. The air rang again with their shouts of rejoicing, for our catch represented to them a

gorgeous feast, such as they had not indulged in for many a day. The flesh of the humpbacked whale is not at

all bad, being but little inferior to that of the porpoise; so that, as these people do not despise even the coarse

rank flesh of the cachalot, their enthusiasm was natural. Their offers of help were rather embarrassing to us,

as we could find little room for any of them in the boats, and the canoes only got in our way. Unable to assist

us, they vented their superfluous energies on the whale in the most astounding aquatic antics

imaginablediving under it; climbing on to it; pushing and rolling each other headlong over its broad back;

shrieking all the while with the frantic, uncontrollable laughter of happy children freed from all restraint.

Men, women, and children all mixed in this wild, watery spree; and as to any of them getting drowned, the

When we got it alongside, and prepared to cut in, all the chaps were able to have a rest, there were so many

eager volunteers to man the windlass, not only willing but, under the able direction of their compatriots

belonging to our crew, quite equal to the work of heaving in blubber. All their habitual indolence was cast

aside. Toiling like Trojans, they made the old windlass rattle again as they spun the brakes up and down,

every blanket piece being hailed with a fresh volley of eldritch shrieks, enough to alarm a deaf and dumb

With such ample aid, it was, as may be supposed a brief task to skin our prize, although the strange

arrangement of the belly blubber caused us to lift some disappointing lengths. This whale has the blubber

underneath the body lying in longitudinal corrugations, which, when hauled off the carcass at right angles to

their direction, stretch out flat to four or five times their normal area. Thus, when the cuttingblocks had

reached their highest limit, and the piece was severed from the body, the folds flew together again leaving

dangling aloft but a miserable square of some four or five feet, instead of a fine "blanket" of blubber twenty

by five. Along the edges of these RUGAE, as also upon the rim of the lower jaw, abundance of limpets and

barnacles had attached themselves, some of the former large as a horse's hoof, and causing prodigious

annoyance to the toiling carpenter, whose duty it was to keep the spades ground. It was no unusual thing for a

spade to be handed in with two or three gaps in its edge half an inch deep, where they had accidentally come

across one of those big pieces of flinty shell, undistinguishable from the grey substance of the belly blubber.

But, in spite of these drawbacks, in less than ninety minutes the last cut was reached, the vertebra severed,

and away went the great mass of meat, in tow of countless canoes, to an adjacent point, where, in eager

anticipation, fires were already blazing for the coming cookery. An enormous number of natives had gathered

from far end near, late arrivals continually dropping in from all points of the compass with breathless haste.

No danger of going short need have troubled them, for, large as were their numbers, the supply was evidently

fully equal to all demands. All night long the feast proceeded, and, even when morning dawned, busy figures

were still discernible coming and going between the reduced carcass and the fires, as if determined to make

It will probably be inferred from the foregoing paragraph that we were little troubled with visits from the

natives next day; but it would be doing them an injustice if I omitted to state that our various "flems" put in

an appearance as usual with their daily offerings of fruit, vegetables, etc. They all presented a somewhat

jaded and haggard look, as of men who had dined not wisely but too well, nor did the odour of stale

whalemeat that clung to them add to their attractions. repentance for excesses or gluttony did not seem to

trouble them, for they evidently considered it would have been a sin not to take with both hands the gifts the

gods had so bountifully provided. Still, they did not stay long, feeling, no doubt, sore need of a prolonged rest

after their late arduous exertions; so, after affectionate farewells, they left us again to our greasy task of

The cow proved exceedingly fat, making us, though by no means a large specimen, fully fifty barrels of oil.

The whalebone (baleen) was so short as to be not worth the trouble of curing, so, with the exception of such

pieces as were useful to the "scrimshoners" for ornamenting their nicknacks, it was not preserved. On the

evening of the third day the work was so far finished that we were able to go ashore for clotheswashing,

which necessary process was accompanied with a good deal of fun and hilarity. In the morning cruising was

For a couple of days we met with no success, although we had a very aggravating chase after some smart

bulls we fell in with, to our mutual astonishment, just as we rounded a point of the outermost island. They

were lazily sunning themselves close under the lee of the cliffs, which at that point were steepto, having a

depth of about twenty fathoms close alongside. A fresh breeze was blowing, so we came round the point at a

great pace, being almost among them before they had time to escape. They went away gaily along the land,

not attempting to get seaward, we straining every nerve to get alongside of them. Whether they were

tantalizing us or not, I cannot say, but certainly it looked like it. In spite of their wellknown speed, we were

several times so close in their wake that the harpooners loosed the tacks of the jibs to get a clear shot; but as

they did so the nimble monsters shot ahead a length or two, leaving us just out of reach. It was a fine chase

while it lasted, though annoying; yet one could hardly help feeling amused at the way they wallowed

alongjust like a school of exaggerated porpoises. At last, after nearly two hours of the fun, they seemed to

have had enough of it, and with one accord headed seaward at a greatly accelerated pace, as who should say,

"Well, s' long, boys; company's very pleasant and all that, but we've got important business over at Fiji, and

can't stay fooling around here any longer." In a quarter of an hour they were out of sight, leaving us disgusted

and outclassed pursuers sneaking back again to shelter, feeling very small. Not that we could have had much

hope of success under the circumstances, knowing the peculiar habits of the humpback and the almost

impossibility of competing with him in the open sea; but they had lured us on to forget all these things in the

Then ensued a week or two of uneventful cruising, broken only by the capture of a couple of cowsone just

after the fruitless chase mentioned above, and one several days later. These events, though interesting enough

to us, were marked by no such deviation from the ordinary course as to make them worthy of special

attention; nor do I think that the coldblooded killing of a cow whale, who dies patiently endeavouring to

However, just when the delightful days were beginning to pall upon us, a real adventure befell us, which, had

we been attending strictly to business, we should not have encountered. For a week previous we had been

cruising constantly without ever seeing a spout, except those belonging to whales out at sea, whither we knew

it was folly to follow them. We tried all sorts of games to while away the time, which certainly did hang

heavy, the most popular of which was for the whole crew of the boat to strip, and, getting overboard, be

towed along at the ends of short warps, while I sailed her. It was quite mythologicala sort of rude

reproduction of Neptune and his attendant Tritons. At last, one afternoon as we were listlessly lolling (half

asleep, except the lookout man) across the thwarts, we suddenly came upon a gorge between two cliffs that

we must have passed before several times unnoticed. At a certain angle it opened, disclosing a wide sheet of

water, extending a long distance ahead. I put the helm up, and we ran through the passage, finding it about a

boat's length in width and several fathoms deep, though overhead the cliffs nearly came together in places.

Within, the scene was very beautiful, but not more so than many similar ones we had previously witnessed.

Still, as the place was new to us, our languor was temporarily dispelled, and we paddled along, taking in

every feature of the shores with keen eyes that let nothing escape. After we had gone on in this placid manner

for maybe an hour, we suddenly came to a stupendous cliffthat is, for those partsrising almost sheer

from the water for about a thousand feet. Of itself it would not have arrested our attention, but at its base was

a semicircular opening, like the mouth of a small tunnel. This looked alluring, so I headed the boat for it,

passing through a deep channel between two reefs which led straight to the opening. There was ample room

for us to enter, as we had lowered the mast; but just as we were passing through, a heave of the unnoticed

swell lifted us unpleasantly near the crown of this natural arch. Beneath us, at a great depth, the bottom could

be dimly discerned, the water being of the richest blue conceivable, which the sun, striking down through,

resolved into some most marvellous colourschemes in the path of its rays. A delicious sense of coolness,

after the fierce heat outside, saluted us as we entered a vast hall, whose roof rose to a minimum height of

forty feet, but in places could not be seen at all. A sort of diffused light, weak, but sufficient to reveal the

general contour of the place, existed, let in, I supposed, through some unseen crevices in the roof or walls. At

first, of course, to our eyes fresh from the fierce glare outside, the place seemed wrapped in impenetrable

gloom, and we dared not stir lest we should run into some hidden danger. Before many minutes, however, the

gloom lightened as our pupils enlarged, so that, although the light was faint, we could find our way about

with ease. We spoke in low tones, for the echoes were so numerous and resonant that even a whisper gave

back from those massy walls in a series of recurring hisses, as if a colony of snakes had been disturbed.

We paddled on into the interior of this vast cave, finding everywhere the walls rising sheer from the silent,

dark waters, not a ledge or a crevice where one might gain foothold. Indeed, in some places there was a

considerable overhang from above, as if a great dome whose top was invisible sprang from some level below

the water. We pushed ahead until the tiny semicircle of light through which we had entered was only faintly

visible; and then, finding there was nothing to be seen except what we were already witnessing, unless we

cared to go on into the thick darkness, which extended apparently into the bowels of the mountain, we turned

and started to go back. Do what we would, we could not venture to break the solemn hush that surrounded us

as if we were shut within the dome of some vast cathedral in the twilight, So we paddled noiselessly along for

the exit, till suddenly an awful, inexplicable roar set all our hearts thumping fit to break our bosoms. Really,

the sensation was most painful, especially as we had not the faintest idea whence the noise came or what had

produced it. Again it filled that immense cave with its thunderous reverberations; but this time all the sting

was taken out of it, as we caught sight of its author. A goodly bullhumpback had found his way in after us,

and the sound of his spout, exaggerated a thousand times in the confinement of that mighty cavern, had

frightened us all so that we nearly lost our breath. So far, so good; but, unlike the old nigger, though we were

"doin' blame well," we did not "let blame well alone." The next spout that intruder gave, he was right

alongside of us. This was too much for the semisavage instincts of my gallant harpooner, and before I had

time to shout a caution he had plunged his weapon deep into old Blowhard's broad back.

I should like to describe what followed, but, in the first place, I hardly know; and, in the next, even had I been

cool and collected, my recollections would sound like the ravings of a fevered dream. For of all the hideous

uproars conceivable, that was, I should think, about the worst. The big mammal seemed to have gone frantic

with the pain of his wound, the surprise of the attack, and the hampering confinement in which he found

himself. His tremendous struggles caused such a commotion that our position could only be compared to that

of men shooting Niagara in a cylinder at night. How we kept afloat, I do not know. Some one had the

gumption to cut the line, so that by the radiation of the disturbance we presently found ourselves close to the

wall, and trying to hold the boat in to it with our fingertips. Would he never be quiet? we thought, as the

thrashing, banging, and splashing still went on with unfailing vigour. At last, in, I suppose, one supreme

effort to escape, he leaped clear of the water like a salmon. There was a perceptible hush, during which we

shrank together like unfledged chickens on a frosty night; then, Then in a nevertobeforgotten crash that

ought to have brought down the massy roof, that mountainous carcass fell. The consequent violent upheaval

of the water should have smashed the boat against the rocky walls, but that final catastrophe was mercifully

A perfect silence succeeded, during which we sat speechless, awaiting a resumption of the clamour. At last

Abner broke the heavy silence by saying, "I doan' see the do'way any mo' at all, sir." He was right. The tide

had risen, and that halfmoon of light had disappeared, so that we were now prisoners for many hours, it not

being at all probable that we should be able to find our way out during the night ebb. Well, we were not

exactly children, to be afraid of the dark, although there is considerable difference between the velvety

darkness of a dungeon and the clear, fresh night of the open air. Still, as long as that beggar of a whale would

only keep quiet or leave the premises, we should be fairly comfortable. We waited and waited until an hour

had passed, and then came to the conclusion that our friend was either dead or gone out, as be gave no sign of

That being settled, we anchored the boat, and lit pipes, preparatory to passing as comfortable a night as might

be under the circumstances, the only thing troubling me being the anxiety of the skipper on our behalf.

Presently the blackness beneath was lit up by a wide band of phosphoric light, shed in the wake of no

ordinarysized fish, probably an immense shark. Another and another followed in rapid succession, until the

depths beneath were all ablaze with brilliant footwide ribands of green glare, dazzling to the eye and

bewildering to the brain. Occasionally, a gentle splash or ripple alongside, or a smart tap on the bottom of the

boat, warned us how thick the concourse was that had gathered below. Until that weariness which no terror is

proof against set in, sleep was impossible, nor could we keep our anxious gaze from that glowing inferno

beneath, where one would have thought all the population of Tartarus were holding high revel. Mercifully, at

last we sank into a fitful slumber, though fully aware of the great danger of our position. One upward rush of

any of those ravening monsters, happening to strike the frail shell of our boat, and a few fleeting seconds

But the terrible night passed away, and once more we saw the tender, irridescent light stream into that abode

of dread. As the day strengthened, we were able to see what was going on below, and a grim vision it

presented. The water was literally alive with sharks of enormous size, tearing with never ceasing energy at

the huge carcass of the whale lying on the bottom, who had met his fate in a singular but not unheardof way.

At that last titanic effort of his he had rushed downward with such terrific force that, striking his head on the

bottom, he had broken his neck. I felt very grieved that we had lost the chance of securing him; but it was

perfectly certain that before we could get help to raise him, all that would be left of his skeleton would be

quite valueless to us. So with such patience as we could command we waited near the entrance until the

receding ebb made it possible for us to emerge once more into the blessed light of day. I was horrified at the

haggard, careworn appearance of my crew, who had all, excepting the two Kanakas, aged perceptibly during

that night of torment. But we lost no time in getting back to the ship, where I fully expected a severe wigging

for the scrape my luckless curiosity had led me into. The captain, however, was very kind, expressing his

pleasure at seeing us all safe back again, although he warned me solemnly against similar investigations in

future. A hearty meal and a good rest did wonders in removing the severe effects of our adventure, so that by

It certainly seemed as if I was in for a regular series of troubles. After cruising till nearly two p.m., we fell in

with the mate's boat, and were sailing quietly along side by side, when we suddenly rounded a point and ran

almost on top of a bull humpback that was basking in the beautiful sunshine. The mate's harpooner, a

wonderfully smart fellow, was not so startled as to lose his chance, getting an iron well home before the

animal realized what had befallen him. We had a lovely fight, lasting over an hour, in which all the

marvellous agility with which this whale is gifted was exerted to the full in order to make his escape. But

with the bottom not twenty fathoms away, we were sure of him. With all his supple smartness, he had none of

the dogged savagery of the cachalot about him, nor did we feel any occasion to beware of his rushes, rather

He was no sooner dead than we hurried to secure him, and had actually succeeded in passing the towline

through his lips, when, in the trifling interval that passed while we were taking the line aft to begin towing, he

started to sink. Of course it was, "let go all!" If you can only get the slightest way on a whale of this kind, you

are almost certain to be able to keep him afloat, but once he begins to sink you cannot stop him. Down he

went, till full twenty fathoms beneath us he lay comfortably on the reef, while we looked ruefully at one

another. We had no gear with us fit to raise him, and we were ten miles from the ship; evening was at hand,

However, the mate decided to start off for home at once, leaving us there, but promising to send back a boat

as speedily as possible with provisions and gear for the morning. There was a stiff breeze blowing, and he

was soon out of sight; but we were very uncomfortable. The boat, of course, rode like a duck, but we were

fully exposed to the open sea; and the mighty swell of the Pacific, rolling in over those comparatively

shallow grounds, sometimes looked dangerously like breaking. Still, it was better than the cave, and there

was a good prospect of supper. Long before we expected her, back came the boat, bringing bountiful

provision of yams, cold pork and fruita regular banquet to men who were fasting since daylight. A square

meal, a comforting pipe, and the night's vigil, which had looked so formidable, no longer troubled us,

although, to tell the truth, we were heartily glad when the dawn began to tint the east with pale emerald and

gold. We set to work at once, getting the huge carcass to the surface without as much labour as I had

But, alas for the fruit of our labours! Those hungry monsters had collected in thousands, and, to judge from

what we were able to see of the body, they had reduced its value alarmingly. However, we commenced

towing, and were getting along fairly well, when a long spur of reef to leeward of us, over which the sea was

breaking frightfully, seemed to be stretching farther out to intercept us before we could get into smooth water.

The fact soon faced us that we were in the remorseless grip of a current that set right over that reef, and

against its steady stream all our efforts were the merest triviality. Still, we hung on, struggling desperately to

keep what we had earned, until so close to the roaring, foaming line of broken water, that one wave breaking

farther out than the rest very nearly swamped us all. One blow of an axe, one twirl of the steeroars, and with

all the force we could muster we were pulling away from the very jaws of death, leaving our whale to the

hungry crowds, who would make short work of him. Downcast indeed, at our bad luck, we returned on board,

disappointing the skipper very much with our report. Like the true gentleman he was, though, recognizing

that we had done our best, he did not add to the trouble by cursing us all for a set of useless trash, as his

predecessor would have done; on the contrary, a few minutes after the receipt of the bad news his face was as

bright as ever, his laugh as hearty as if there was no such thing as a misfortune in the world.

And now I must come to what has been on my mind so longa tragedy that, in spite of all that had gone

before, and of what came after, is the most indelible of all the memories which cling round me of that

eventful time. Abner Cushing, the Vermonter had declared at different times that he should never see his

native Green Mountain again. Since the change in our commander, however, he had been another

manalways silent and reserved, but brighter, happier, and with a manner so improved as to make it hard to

recognize him for the same awkward, ungainly slab of a fellow that had bungled everything he put his hand

to. Taking stock of him quietly during our daylong leisurely cruises in the boat, I often wondered whether

his mind still kept its gloomy forebodings, and brooded over his tragical lifehistory. I never dared to speak

to him on the subject, for fear of arousing what I hoped was growing too faint for remembrance. But at times

I saw him in the moonlit evenings sitting on the rail alone, steadfastly gazing down into the starbesprent

Twothirds of our stay in the islands had passed away, when, for a wonder, the captain took it into his head

to go up to the chief village one morning. So he retained me on board, while the other three boats left for the

day's cruise as usual. One of the mate's crew was sick, and to replace him he took Abner out of my boat.

Away they went; and shortly after breakfasttime I lowered, received the captain on board, and we started for

the capital. Upon our arrival there we interviewed the chief, a stout, pleasantlooking man of about fifty, who

was evidently held in great respect by the natives, and had a chat with the white Wesleyan missionary in

charge of the station. About two p.m., after the captain's business was over, we were returning under sail,

when we suddenly caught sight of two of our boats heading in towards one of the islands. We helped her with

the paddles to get up to them, seeing as we neared them the two long fins of a whale close ahead of one of

them. As we gazed breathlessly at the exciting scene, we saw the boat rush in between the two flippers, the

harpooner at the same time darting an iron straight down. There was a whirl in the waters, and quick as

thought the vast flukes of the whale rose in the air, recurving with a sidelong sweep as of some gigantic

scythe. The blow shore off the bow of the attacking boat as if it had been an eggshell.

At the same moment the mate stooped, picked up the towline from its turn round the loggerhead, and

threw it forward from him. He must have unconsciously given a twist to his hand, for the line fell in a kink

round Abner's neck just as the whale went down with a rush. Struggling, clutching at the fatal noose, the

hapless man went flying out through the incoming sea, and in one second was lost to sight for ever. Too late,

the harpooner cut the line which attached the wreck to the retreating animal, leaving the boat free, but

gunwale under. We instantly hauled alongside of the wreck and transferred her crew, all dazed and

I saw the tears trickle down the rugged, mahoganycoloured face of the captain, and honoured him for it, but

there was little time to waste in vain regrets. It was necessary to save the boat, if possible, as we were getting

short of boatrepairing material; certainly we should not have been able to build a new one. So, drawing the

two sound boats together, one on either side of the wreck, we placed the heavy steering oars across them from

side to side. We then lifted the battered fore part upon the first oar, and with a big effort actually succeeded in

lifting the whole of the boat out of water upon this primitive pontoon. Then, taking the jib, we "frapped" it

round the opening where the bows had been, lashing it securely in that position. Several hands were told off

to jump into her stern on the word, and all being ready we launched her again. The weight of the chaps in her

sternsheets cocked her bows right out of water, and in that position we towed her back to the ship, arriving

That evening we held a burial service, at which hundreds of natives attended with a solemnity of demeanour

and expressions of sorrow that would not have been out of place at the most elaborate funeral in England or

America. It was a memorable scene. The big cressets were lighted, shedding their wild glare over the dark

sea, and outlining the spars against the moonless sky with startling effect. When we had finished the beautiful

service, the natives, as if swayed by an irresistible impulse, broke into the splendid tune St. Ann's; and I

afterwards learned that the words they sang were Dr. Watts' unsurpassable rendering of Moses' pean of

praise, "O God, our help in ages past." No elaborate ceremonial in towering cathedral could begin to compare

with the massive simplicity of poor Abner's funeral honours, the stately hills for many miles reiterating the

Next day was Sunday, and, in pursuance of a promise given some time before, I went ashore to my "flem's"

to dinner, he being confined to the house with a hurt leg. It was not by any means a festive gathering, for he

was more than commonly taciturn; his daughter Irene, a buxom lassie of fourteen, who waited on us,

appeared to be dumb; and his wife was "in the straw." These trifling drawbacks, however, in nowise detracted

from the hospitality offered. The diningroom was a large apartment furnished with leaves, the uprights of

cocoanut tree, the walls and roof of pandanus leaf. Beneath the heaps of leaves, fresh and sweetscented,

was the earth. The inner apartment, or chamber of state, had a flooring of highlypolished planks, and

contained, I presume, the household gods; but as it was in possession of my host's secluded spouse, I did not

A couch upon a pile of leaves was hastily arranged, upon which I was hidden to seat myself, while a freshly

cut cocoanut of enormous size was handed to me, the soft top sliced off so that I might drink its deliciously

cool contents. These nuts must grow elsewhere, but I have never before or since seen any so large. When

greenthat is, before the meat has hardened into indigestible matterthey contain from three pints to two

quarts of liquid, at once nourishing, refreshing, and palatable. The natives appeared to drink nothing else, and

Taking a huge knife from some hidingplace, Irene handed it to her father, who at once commenced to dig in

the ground by his side, while I looked on wondering and amused. Presently he fished up a bundle of leaves

bound with a vinetendril, which he laid carefully aside. More digging brought to light a fine yam about three

pounds in weight, which, after carefully wiping the knife on some leaves, he proceeded to peel. It was

immediately evident that the yam was perfectly cooked, for it steamed as he removed the skin, revealing the

inside as white as milk. Some large, round leaves were laid in front of me, and the yam placed upon them.

Then mine host turned his attention to the bundle first unearthed, which concealed a chicken, so perfectly

done that, although the bones drew out of the meat as if it had been jelly, it was full of juice and flavour; and

except for a slight foreign twang, referrible, doubtless, to the leaves in which it had been enwrapped, I do not

think it could have been possible to cook anything in a better way, or one more calculated to retain all the

natural juices of the meat. The fowl was laid beside the yam, another nut broached; then, handing me the big

knife, my "flem" bade me welcome, informing me that I saw my dinner. As nothing would induce him to join

me, the idea being contrary to his notions of respect due to a guest, I was fain to fall to, and an excellent meal

I made. For dessert, a basketful of such oranges freshly plucked as cannot be tasted under any other

conditions, and crimson bananas, which upon being peeled, looked like curved truncheons of golden jelly,

A corncob cigarette closed the banquet, After expressing my thanks, I noticed that the pain of his leg was

giving my friend considerable uneasiness, which he was stolidly enduring upon my account rather than

appear discourteously anxious to get rid of me. So, with the excuse that I must needs be going, having

another appointment, I left the good fellow and strolled around to the chapel, where I sat enjoying the sight of

those simple minded Kanakas at their devotions till it was time to return on board. Before closing this

chapter, I would like, for the benefit of such of my readers who have not heard yet of Kanaka cookery, to say

that it is simplicity itself. A hole is scooped in the earth, in which a fire is made (of wood), and kept burning

until a fairsized heap of glowing charcoal remains. Pebbles are then thrown in until the charcoal is covered.

Whatever is to be cooked is enveloped in leaves, placed upon the pebbles, and more leaves heaped upon it.

The earth is then thrown back into the cavity, and well stamped down. A long time is, of course, needed for

the viands to get cooked through; but so subtle is the mode that overdoing anything is almost an

impossibility. A couple of days may pass from the time of "putting down" the joint, yet when it is dug up it

will be smoking hot, retaining all its juices, tender as jelly, but, withal, as full of flavour as it is possible for

cooked meat to be. No matter how large the joint is, or how tough the meat, this gentle suasion will render it

succulent and tasty; and no form of civilized cookery can in the least compare with it.

Taking it all round, our visit to the Friendly Islands had not been particularly fortunate up till the time of

which I spoke at the conclusion of the last chapter. Twothirds of the period during which the season was

supposed to last had expired, but our catch had not amounted to more than two hundred and fifty barrels of

oil. Whales had been undoubtedly scarce, for our illsuccess on tackling bulls was not at all in consequence

of our clumsiness, these agile animals being always a handful, but due to the lack of cows, which drove us to

take whatever we could get, which, as has been noted, was sometimes a severe drubbing. Energy and

watchfulness had been manifested in a marked degree by everybody, and when the news circulated that our

stay was drawing to a close, there was, if anything, an increase of zeal in the hope that we might yet make a

But none of these valuable qualities exhibited by us could make up for the lack of "fish" which was

lamentably evident. It was not easy to understand why, because these islands were noted as a breedingplace

for the humpbacked whale. Yet for years they had not been fished, so that a plausible explanation of the

paucity of their numbers as a consequence of much harassing could not be reasonably offered. Still, after

centuries of whalefishing, little is known of the real habits of whales, Where there is abundance of "feed," in

the case of MYSTICETA it may be reasonably inferred that whales may be found in proportionately greater

numbers. With regard to the widerspread classes of the great marine mammalia, beyond the fact, ascertained

from continued observation, that certain parts of the ocean are more favoured by them than others, there is

absolutely no data to go upon as to why at times they seem to desert their usual haunts and scatter themselves

The case of the cachalot is still more difficult. All the BALAENAE seem to be compelled, by laws which we

can only guess at, to frequent the vicinity of land possessing shallows at their breeding times, so that they

may with more or less certainty be looked for in such places at the seasons which have been accurately fixed.

They may be driven to seek other haunts, as was undoubtedly the case at Vau Vau in a great measure, by

some causes unknown, but to land they must come at those times. The sperm whale, however, needs no

shelter at such periods, or, at any rate, does not avail herself of any. They may often be seen in the vicinity of

land where the water is deep close to, but seldom with calves. Schools of cows with recently born young

gambolling about them are met with at immense distances from land, showing no disposition to seek shelter

either. For my part, I firmly believe that the cachalot is so terrible a foe, that the great sharks who hover

round a gravid cow of the BALAENAE, driving her in terror to some shallow spot where she may hope to

protect her young, never dare to approach a sperm cow on kidnapping errands, or any other if they can help it,

until their unerring guides inform them that life is extinct. When a sperm whale is in health, nothing that

inhabits the sea has any chance with him; neither does he scruple to carry the war into the enemy's country,

since all is fish that comes to his net, and a shark fifteen feet in length has been found in the stomach of a

The only exception he seems to make is in the case of man. Instances have severalnay, many times

occurred where men have been slain by the jaws of a cachalot crushing the boat in which they were; but their

death was of course incidental to the destruction of the boat. Never, as far as I have been able to ascertain, has

a cachalot attacked a man swimming or clinging to a piece of wreckage, although such opportunities occur

innumerably. I have in another place told the story of how I once saw a combat between a bullcachalot and

so powerful a combination of enemies that even one knowing the fighting qualities of the sperm whale would

Two "killers" and a swordfish, all of the largest size. Description of these warriors is superfluous, since they

are so well known to museums and natural histories; but unless one has witnessed the charge of a XIPHIAS,

he cannot realize what a fearful foe it is. Still, as a practice, these creatures leave the cachalot respectfully

alone, knowing instinctively that he is not their game. Upon this memorable occasion, however I guess the

two ORCAS were starving, and they had organized a sort of forlorn hope with the XIPHIAS as an auxiliary

who might be relied upon to ensure success if it could be done. Anyhow, the syndicate led off with their main

force first; for while the two killers hung on the cachalot's flanks, diverting his attention, the swordfish, a

giant some sixteen feet long, launched himself at the most vulnerable part of the whale, for all the world like

a Whitehead torpedo. The wary eye of the whale saw the long, dark mass coming, and, like a practised

pugilist, coolly swerved, taking for the nonce no notice of those worrying wolves astern. The shock came; but

instead of the sword penetrating three, or maybe four feet just where the neck (if a whale has any neck)

encloses the huge heart, it met the mighty, impenetrable mass of the head, solid as a block of thirty tons of

So the blow glanced, revealing a white streak running diagonally across the eye, while the great XIPHIAS

rolled helplessly over the top of that black bastion. With a motion so rapid that the eye could scarcely follow

it, the whale turned, settling withal, and, catching the momentarily motionless aggressor in the lethal sweep

of those awful shears, crunched him in two halves, which writhing sections he swallowed SERIATIM. And

the allied forces aftwhat of them? Well, they had been rashthey fully realized that fact, and would have

fled, but one certainly found that he had lingered on the scene too long. The thoroughlyroused leviathan,

with a reversal of his huge bulk that made the sea boil like a pot, brandished his tail aloft and brought it down

upon the doomed "killer," making him at once the "killed." He was crushed like a shrimp under one's heel.

The survivor flednever fasterfor an avalanche of living, furious flesh was behind him, and coming with

enormous leaps half out of the sea every time. Thus they disappeared, but I have no doubts as to the issue. Of

one thing I am certainthat, if any of the trio survived, they never afterwards attempted to rush a cachalot.

Strange to say, the sperm whale does not appear to be a fond mother. At the advent of danger she often

deserts her offspring and in such cases it is hardly conceivable that she ever finds it again. It is true that she is

not gifted with such long "arms" as the BALAENAE wherewith to cuddle her young one to her capacions

bosom while making tracks from her enemies; nor is she much "on the fight," not being so liberally furnished

with jaw as the fierce and much larger bullfor this is the only species of whale in which there exists a great

disproportion between the sexes in point of size. Such difference as may obtain between the MYSTICETA is

slightly in favour of the female. I never heard of a cowcachalot yielding more than fifty barrels of oil; but I

have both heard of, and seen, bulls carrying one hundred and fifty. One individual taken by us down south

was seventy feet long, and furnished us with more than the latter amount; but I shall come to him byandby.

Just one more point before leaving this (to me) fascinating subject for the present.

To any one studying the peculiar configuration of a cachalot's mouth, it would appear a difficult problem how

the calf could suck. Certainly it puzzled me more than a little. But, when on the "line" grounds we got among

a number of cows one calm day, I saw a little fellow about fifteen feet long, apparently only a few days old,

in the very act. The mother lay on one side, with the breast nearly at the waters edge; while the calf, lying

parallel to its parent, with its head in the same direction, held the teat sideways in the angle of its jaw, with its

snout protruding from the surface. Although we caught several cow humpbacks with newly born calves, I

Gradually our pleasant days at Vau Vau drew to a close. So quiet and idyllic had the life been, so full of

simple joys, that most of us, if not all, felt a pang at the thought of our imminent departure from the beautiful

place. Profitable, in a pecuniary sense, the season had certainly failed to be, but that was the merest trifle

compared with the real happiness and peace enjoyed during our stay. Even the terrible tragedy which had

taken one of our fellows from us could not spoil the actual enjoyment of our visit, sad and touching as the

event undoubtedly was. There was always, too, a sufficiently arduous routine of necessary duties to perform,

preventing us from degenerating into mere lotus eaters in that delicious afternoonland. Nor even to me,

But these lovely days spent in softly gliding over the calm, azure depths, bathed in golden sunlight, gazing

dreamily down at the indescribable beauties of the living reefs, feasting daintily on abundance of

nevercloying fruit, amid scenes of delight hardly to be imagined by the cramped mind of the town dweller;

islands, air, and sea all shimmering in an enchanted haze, and silence scarcely broken by the tender ripple of

the gentlyparted waters before the boat's steady keelthough these joys have all been lost to me, and I in

"populous city pent" endure the fading years, I would not barter the memory of them for more than I can say,

so sweet it is to me. And, then, our relations with the natives had been so perfectly amicable, so free from

anything to regret. Perhaps this simple statement will raise a cynical smile upon the lips of those who know

Tahati, the New Hebrides, and kindred spots with all their savage, bestial orgies of alternate unbridled lust

and unnamable cruelty. Let it be so. For my part, I rejoice that I have no tale of weeks of drunkenness, of

For of such is the paradise of the beachcomber, and the hell of the clean man. Not that I have been able to

escape it altogether. When I say that I once shipped, unwittingly, as sailingmaster of a little white schooner

in Noumea, bound to Apia, finding when too late that she was a "blackbirder""labour vessel," the wise it

callnothing more will be needed to convince the initiated that I have moved in the "nine circles" of

Some time before the day fixed for our departure, we were busy storing the gifts so liberally showered upon

us by our eager friends. Hundreds of bunches of bananas, many thousands of oranges, yams, taro, chillies,

fowls, and pigs were accumulated, until the ship looked like a huge marketboat. But we could not persuade

any of the natives to ship with us to replace those whoso contract was now expiring. Samuela and Polly were,

after much difficulty, prevailed upon by me to go with us to New Zealand, much to my gratification; but still

we were woefully shortbanded, At last, seeing that there was no help for it, the skipper decided to run over

to Futuna, or Horn Island, where he felt certain of obtaining recruits without any trouble. He did so most

unwillingly, as may well be believed, for the newcomers would need much training, while our present

The slopchest was largely drawn upon, to the credit of the crew, who wished in some tangible way to show

their appreciation of the unremitting kindness shown them by their dusky friends. Not a whisper had been

uttered by any native as to desire of remuneration for what he had given. If they expected a return, they

certainly exercised great control over themselves in keeping their wishes quiet. But when they received the

clothing, all utterly unsuited to their requirements as it was, their beaming faces eloquently proclaimed the

reality of their joy. Heavy woollen shirts, thick cloth trousers and jackets, knitted socks; but acceptable

beyond all was a pilotsuitwarm enough for the Channel in winter. Happy above all power of expression

was he who secured it. With an eared cloth cap and a pair of half boots, to complete his preposterous rig, no

Bond Street exquisite could feel more calmly conscious of being a welldressed man than he. From

henceforth he would be the observed of all observers at chapel on Sunday, exciting worldly desires and

The ladies fared very badly, until the skipper, with a twinkling eye, announced that he had "dug up" some

rolls of "cloth" (calico), which he was prepared to supply us with at reasonable rates. Being of rather pretty

pattern, it went off like hot pies, and as the "fathoms" of gaudy, flimsy material were distributed to the

Inexorable time brought round the morning of our departure. Willing hands lifted our anchor, and hoisted the

sails, so that we had nothing to do but look on. A scarcely perceptible breeze, stealing softly over the

treetops, filled our upper canvas, sparing us the labour of towing her out of the little bay where we had lain

so long, and gradually wafted us away from its lovely shores, amid the fastflowing tears of the great crowd.

With multitudinous cries of "Ofa, alofa, papalang" ringing in our ears ("Goodbye; goodbye, white man"),

we rounded the point, and, with increasing pace, bore away through the outlying islands for the open sea.

There was a strong trade blowing, making the old barky caper like a dancingmaster, which long unfamiliar

motion almost disagreed with some of us, after our long quiet. Under its hastening influence we made such

good time that before dinner Vau Vau had faded into nothingness, mingling like the clouds with the soft haze

We were not a very cheerful crowd that night, most of us being busy with his own reflections. I must confess

that I felt far greater sorrow at leaving Vau Vau than ever I did at leaving England; because by the time I was

able to secure a berth, I have usually drank pretty deep of the bitter cup of the "outward bounder," than whom

there is no more forlorn, miserable creature on earth. No one but the much abused boardingmaster will have

anything to do with him, and that worthy is generally careful to let him know that he is but a hangeron, a

dependant on sufferance for a meal, and that his presence on shore is an outrage. As for the sailors' homes, I

have hardly patience to speak of them. I know the sailor is usually a big baby that wants protecting against

himself, and that once within the four walls of the institution he is safe; but right there commendation must

end. Why are good folks ashore systematically misled into the belief that the sailor is an object of charity, and

that it is necessary to subscribe continually and liberally to provide him with food and shelter when ashore?

Most of the contributors would be surprised to know that the cost of board and lodging at the "home" is

precisely the same as it is outside, and much higher than a landsman of the same grade can live for in better

style. With the exception of the sleeping accommodation, most men prefer the boardinghouse, where, if

they preserve the same commercial status which is a SINE QUA NON at the "home," they are treated like

gentlemen; but in what follows lies the essential difference, and the reason for this outburst of mine,

smothered in silence for years. An "outward bounder"that is, a man whose money is exhausted and who is

living upon the credit; of his prospective advance of payis unknown at the "home." No matter what the

condition of things is in the shipping world; though the man may have fought with energy to get his discharge

accepted among the crowd at the "chainlocker;" though he be footsore and weary with "looking for a ship,"

when his money is done, out into the street he must go, if haply he may find a speculative boardingmaster to

receive him. This act, although most unlikely in appearance, is often performed; and though the boarding

master, of course, expects to recoup himself out of the man's advance note, it is none the less as merciful as

the action of the "home" authorities is merciless. Of course a man may go to the "straw house," or, as it is

grandiloquently termed, the "destitute seaman's asylum," where for a season he will be fed on the refuse from

the "home," and sheltered from the weather. But the ungrateful rascals do not like the "straw house," and use

The galling thing about the whole affair is that the "sailors' home" figures in certain official publications as a

charity, which must be partially supported by outside contributions. It may be a charitable institution, but it

certainly is not so to the sailor, who pays fully for everything he receives. The charity is bestowed upon a far

different class of people to merchant Jack. Let it be granted that a man is sober and provident, always getting

a ship before his money is all gone, he will probably be well content at the home, although very few seamen

like to be reminded ashore of their sea routine, as the manner of the home is. If the institution does not pay a

handsome dividend, with its clothing shops and refreshment bars, as well as the boardinghouse lousiness on

such a large scale, only one inference can be fairly drawnthere must be something radically wrong with the

After this burst of temper, perhaps I had better get back to the subject in hand. It was, I suppose, in the usual

contrary nature of things that, while we were all in this nearly helpless condition, one evening just before

sunset, along comes a sperm whale. Now, the commonest prudence would have suggested letting him

severely alone, since we were not only shorthanded, but several of our crew were completely crippled by

large boils; but it would have been an unprecedented thing to do while there was any room left in the hold.

Consequently we mustered the halt and the lame, and manned two boatsall we could doleaving the

almost useless cripples to handle the ship. Not to displace the rightful harpooner, I took an oar in one of them,

At first my hopes were high that we should not succeed in reaching the victim before dark, but I was

grievously disappointed in this. Just as the whale was curving himself to sound, we got fairly close, and the

harpooner made a "pitchpole" dart; that is, he hurled his weapon into the air, where it described a fine curve,

and fell point downward on the animal's back just as he was disappearing. He stopped his descent

immediately, and turned savagely to see what had struck him so unexpectedly. At that moment the sun went

After the first few minutes' "kickup," he settled down for a steady run, but not before the mate got good and

fast to him likewise. Away we went at a rare rate into the gathering gloom of the fastcoming night. Now,

had it been about the time of full moon or thereabouts, we should doubtless have been able, by the flood of

molten light she sends down in those latitudes, to give a good account of our enemy; but alas for us, it was

not. The sky overhead was a deep blueblack, with steely sparkles of starlight scattered all over it, only

serving to accentuate the darkness. After a short time our whale became totally invisible, except for the

phosphoric glare of the water all around him as he steadily ploughed his way along. There was a good breeze

blowing, which soon caused us all to be drenched with the spray, rendering the general effect of things cold

as well as cheerless. Needless to say, we strove with all our might to get alongside of him, so that an end

might be put to so unpleasant a state of affairs; but in our crippled condition it was not at all easy to do so.

We persevered, however, and at last managed to get near enough for the skipper to hurl a lance into the

brightness of which the whale formed the centre. It must have touched him, for he gave a bound forward and

disappeared. We suddenly came to a standstill, but in a moment were whirled round as if on a pivot, and

away we went in the opposite direction. He had turned a complete somersault in the water beneath us, giving

us a "grue" as we reflected what would have happened had he then chosen to come bounding to the surface.

This manoeuvre seemed to please him mightily, for he ran at top speed several minutes, and then repeated it.

This time he was nearly successful in doing us some real harm, for it was now so dark that we could hardly

see the other boat's form as she towed along parallel to us about three or four lengths away. The two boats

swung round in a wide circle, rushing back at each other out of the surrounding darkness as if bent on mutual

destruction. Only by the smartest manipulation was a collision avoided, which, as each boat's bows bristled

with lances and harpoons, would have been a serious matter for some of us. However, the whale did not have

it all his own way, for the skipper, having charged his bombgun, patiently laid for him, and fired. It was

rather a long shot, but it reached him, as we afterwards ascertained, making an ugly wound in the small near

Its effect upon him was startling and immediate. He rushed off at so furious a rate dead to windward that for a

great while we had all our work cut out to keep her free by baling. The sea had risen a little, and as we leapt

from one wave to another the spray flew over us in an almost continuous cloud. Clearly our situation was a

parlous one. We could not get near him; we were becoming dangerously enfeebled, and he appeared to be

gaining strength instead of losing it. Besides all this, none of us could have the least idea of how the ship now

bore from us, our only comfort being that, by observation of the Cross, we were not making a direct course,

but travelling on the circumference of an immense circle. Whatever damage we had done to him so far was

evidently quite superficial, for, accustomed as we were to tremendous displays of vigour on the part of these

The time could only be guessed at; but, judging from our feelings, it might have been two or three nights

long. Still, to all things an end, so in the midst of our dogged endurance of all this misery we felt the pace

give, and took heart of grace immediately. Calling up all our reserves, we hauled up on to him, regardless of

pain or weariness. The skipper and mate lost no opportunities of lancing, once they were alongside, but

worked like heroes, until a final plunging of the fastdying leviathan warned us to retreat. Up he went out of

the glittering foam into the upper darkness, while we held our breath at the unique sight of a whale breaching

at night. But when he fell again the effect was marvellous. Green columns of water arose on either side of the

descending mass as if from the bowels of the deep, while their ghostly glare lit up the encircling gloom with a

strange, weird radiance, which reflected in our anxious faces, made us look like an expedition from the

FLYING DUTCHMAN. A short spell of gradually quieting struggle succeeded as the great beast succumbed,

until all was still again, except the strange, low surge made by the waves as they broke over the bank of flesh

While the final touch was being given to our taski.e. the holeboring through the tailfinall hands lay

around in various picturesque attitudes, enjoying a refreshing smoke, care forgetting. While thus pleasantly

employed, sudden death, like a bolt from the blue, leapt into our midst in a terrible form. The skipper was

labouring hard at his task of cutting the hole for the towline, when without warning the great fin swung back

as if suddenly released from tremendous tension. Happily for us, the force of the blow was broken by its

direction, as it struck the water before reaching the boat's side, but the upper lobe hurled the boatspade from

the captain's hands back into our midst, where it struck the tub oarsman, splitting his head in two halves. The

horror of the tragedy, the enveloping darkness, the inexplicable revivifying of the monster, which we could

not have doubted to be dead, all combined to stupefy and paralyze us for the time. Not a sound was heard in

our boat, though the yells of inquiry from our companion craft arose in increasing volume. It was but a brief

accession of energy, only lasting two or three minutes, when the whale collapsed finally. Having recovered

from our surprise, we took no further chances with so dangerous an opponent, but bored him as full of holes

Mournful and miserable were the remaining hours of our vigil. We sat around poor Miguel's corpse with

unutterable feelings, recalling all the tragical events of the voyage, until we reached the nadir of

despondency. With the rosy light of morning came more cheerful feelings, heightened by the close proximity

of the ship, from which it is probable we had never been more than ten miles distant during the whole night.

She had sighted us with the first light, and made all sail down to us, all hands much relieved at our safety. We

were so sorely exhausted that we could hardly climb on board; and how we hoisted the boats I hardly know.

The whale was secured by the efforts of the cripples we had left on board, while we wayfarers, after a good

When we returned to our duties, the first thing that awaited us was the burial of the poor body. Very

reverently were the last sad offices performed, the flag hoisted halfmast, the bell solemnly tolled. Then we

gathered at the gangway while the eternal words of hope and consolation were falteringly read, and with a

sudden plunge the long, straight parcel slid off the hatch into the vast tomb ever ready for the dead sailor.

Our dead out of sight, work claimed all our attention and energy, wiping with its benificent influence all

gloomy musings over the inevitable, and replacing them with the pressing needs of life. The whale was not a

large one, but peculiar to look at. Like the specimen that fought so fiercely with us in the Indian Ocean, its

jaw was twisted round in a sort of hook, the part that curved being so thickly covered with long barnacles as

to give the monster a most eerie look. One of the Portuguese expressed his decided opinion that we had

caught Davy Jones himself, and that, in consequence, we should have no more accidents. It was impossible

not to sympathize with the conceit, for of all the queerlooking monstrosities ever seen, this latest acquisition

of ours would have taken high honours. Such malformations of the lower mandible of the cachalot have often

been met with, and variously explained; but the most plausible opinion seems to be that they have been

acquired when the animal is very young and its bones not yet indurated, since it is impossible to believe that

an adult could suffer such an accident without the broken jaw drooping instead of being turned on one side.

The yield of oil was distressingly scanty, the whale being what is technically known as a "dry skin." The

blubber was so hard and tough that we could hardly cut it up for boiling, and altogether it was one of the most

disappointing affairs we had yet dealt with. This poorness of blubber was, to my mind, undoubtedly due to

the difficulty the animal must have had in obtaining food with his disabling defect of jaw. Whatever it was,

we were heartily glad to see the last of the beast, fervently hoping we should never meet with another like

During the progress of these melancholy operations we had drifted a considerable distance out of our course,

no attention being paid, as usual, to the direction of our drift until the greasy work was done. Once the mess

was cleared away, we hauled up again for our objectiveFutunawhich, as it was but a few hours' sail

Sure enough, in accordance with our expectations, break of day revealed the twin masses of Futuna ahead,

some ten or fifteen miles away. With the fine, steady breeze blowing, by breakfast time we were off the

entrance to a pretty bight, where sail was shortened and the ship hoveto. Captain Count did not intend to

anchor, for reasons of his own, he being assured that there was no need to do so. Nor was there. Although the

distance from the beach was considerable, we could see numbers of canoes putting off, and soon they began

to arrive. Now, some of the South Sea Islands are famous for the elegance and seaworthiness of their canoes;

nearly all of them have a distinctly definite style of canoebuilding; but here at Futuna was a bewildering

collection of almost every type of canoe in the wide world. Dugouts, with outriggers on one side, on both

sides, with none at all; canoes built like boats, like prams, like irregular eggboxes, many looking like the

first boyish attempt to knock something together that would float; andnot to unduly prolong the list by

attempted classification of these unclassed craftCORACLES. Yes; in that lonely Pacific island, among that

motley crowd of floating nondescripts, were specimens of the ancient coracle of our own islands, constructed

in exactly the same way; that is, of wickerwork, covered with some waterproof substance, whether skin or

tarpaulin. But the ingenious Kanaka, not content with his coracles, had gone one better, and copied them in

dugouts of solid timber. The resultant vessel was a sort of cross between a butcher's tray and a washbasin

"A thing beyond Conception: such a wretched wherry, Perhaps ne'er ventured on a pond, Or crossed a ferry."

The proud possessors of the coracles, both wicker and wood, must have been poor indeed, for they did not

even own a paddle, propelling their basins through the water with their hands. It may be imagined what a

pace they put on! At a little distance they were very puzzling, looking more like a waterbeetle grown fat and

And so, in everything floatable, the whole male population of that part of the coast came to visit us. We were

speedily the centre of a great crowd of canoes, some of which were continually capsizing and spilling their

occupants, who took no more notice of such incidents than one would of a sneeze. Underneath a canoe, or on

top, made but little difference to these amphibious creatures. They brought nothing with them to trade; in

fact, few of their vessels were capable of carrying anything that could not swim and take care of itself. As

they came on board, each crossed himself more or less devoutly, revealing the teaching of a Roman Catholic

mission; and as they called to one another, it was not hard to recognize, even in their native garb, such names

as Erreneo (Irenaeus), Al'seo (Aloysius), and other favourite cognomens of saints.

A laughing chattering goodtempered crowd they werejust like a bevy of children breaking up, and

apparently destitute of the slightest sense of responsibility. They spoke a totally different dialect, or maybe

language, to that of Vau Vau, for it was only an isolated word here and there that Samuela could make out.

But presently, going forward through the crowd that thronged every part of the deck, I saw a man leaning

nonchalantly against the rail by the forerigging, who struck me at once as being an American negro. The

most casual observer would not have mistaken him for a Kanaka of those latitudes, though he might have

passed as a Papuan. He was dressed in all the dignity of a woollen shirt, with a piece of fine "tapa" for a

waistcloth, feet and legs bare. Around his neck was a necklace composed of a number of strings of blue and

white beads plaited up neatly, and carrying as a pendant a George shilling. Going up to him, I looked at the

coin, and said, "Belitani money?" "Oh yes," he said, "that's a shilling of old Georgey Fourf," in perfectly

good English, but with an accent which quite confirmed my first idea. I at once invited him aft to see the

skipper, who was very anxious to find an interpreter among the noisy crowd, besides being somewhat uneasy

To the captain's interrogations he replied that he was "Tui Tongoa"that is, King of Tonga, an island a little

distance awaybut that he was at present under a cloud, owing to the success of a usurper, whom he would

In the mean time he would have no objection to engaging himself with us as a harpooner, and would get us as

many men as we wanted, selecting from among the crowd on board, fellows that would, he knew, be useful to

A bargain was soon struck, and Tui entered upon his selfimposed task. It was immediately evident that he

had a bigger contract on hand than he had imagined. The natives, who had previously held somewhat aloof

from him in a kind of deferential respect, no sooner got wind of the fact that we needed some of them than

they were seized with a perfect frenzy of excitement. There were, I should think, at least a hundred and fifty

of them on board at the time. Of this crowd, every member wanted to he selected, pushing his candidature

with voice and gesture as vigorously as he knew how. The din was frightful. Tui, centre of the frantic mob,

strove vainly to make himself beard, to reduce the chaos to some sort of order, but for a great while it was a

hopeless attempt. At last, extricating himself from his importunate friends, he gained the captain's side.

Panting, almost breathless, with sweat streaming off him, he gasped out, "Oh, cap'n, dese yer darn niggers all

gone mad! Dribe 'em oberbord; clar 'em out, 'n I'll stan' by to grab some o' der likely ones as de res' scatter."

"But what about the wages?" said the skipper. "I'm not goin' ter give 'em whatever they like to ask." " You

leab it ter me, cap'n. I bet you'll be satisfy. Anyhow, dishyers no time fer tradin'; de blame niggers all off dere

coco nuts. Anybody fink you'se payin' off 'stead o' shippin', an' deyse all afraid dey won't get 'nough."

Unpleasant as the job was to all of us, it had to be done; so we armed ourselves with ropes'ends, which we

flourished threateningly, avoiding where possible any actual blows. Many sprang overboard at once, finding

their way ashore or to their canoes as best they could. The majority, however, had to swim, for we now

noticed that, either in haste or from carelessness, they had in most cases omitted to fasten their canoes

securely when coming alongside, so that many of them were now far out to sea. The distance to shore being

under three miles, that mattered little, as far as their personal safety was concerned.

This summary treatment was eminently successful, quiet being rapidly restored, so that Tui was able to select

a dozen men, who he declared were the best in the islands for our purpose. Although it seems somewhat

premature to say so, the general conduct of the successful candidates was so good as to justify Tui fully in his

We now had all that we came for, so that we were anxious to be off. But it was a job to get rid of the visitors

still remaining on board. They stowed themselves away in all manner of corners, in some cases ludicrously

inadequate as hidingplaces, and it was not until we were nearly five miles from the land that the last of them

plunged into the sea and struck out for home. It was very queer. Ignorant of our destination, of what would be

required of them; leaving a land of ease and plenty for a certainty of short commons and hard work, without

preparation or farewells, I do not think I ever heard of such a strange thing before. Had their home been

famine or plaguestricken, they could not have evinced greater eagerness to leave it, or to face the great

As we drew farther off the island the wind freshened, until we had a good, wholesail breeze blustering

behind us, the old ship making, with her usual generous fuss, a tremendous rate of seven knots an hour. Our

course was shaped for the southward, towards the Bay of Islands, New Zealand. In that favourite haunt of the

Southseaman we were to wood and water, find letters from home (those who had one), and prepare for the

Obviously the first thing to be done for our new shipmates was to clothe them. When they arrived on board,

all, with the single exception of Tui, were furnished only with a "maro" of "tapa," scanty in its proportions,

but still enough to wrap round their loins. But when they were accepted for the vacant positions on board,

they cast off even the slight apology for clothing which they had worn, flinging the poor rags to their

retreating and rejected compatriots. Thus they were strutting about, in native majesty unclad, which, of

course, could not be endured among even so unconventional a crowd as we were. So they were mustered aft,

and, to their extravagant delight, a complete rigout was handed to each of them, accompanied by graphic

instructions how to dress themselves. Very queer they looked when dressed, but queerer still not long

afterwards, when some of them, galled by the unaccustomed restraint of the trousers, were seen prowling

about with shirts tied round their waists by the sleeves, and pants twisted turbanwise about their heads. Tui

was called, and requested to inform them that they must dress properly, after the fashion of the white man, for

that any impromptu improvements upon our method of clotheswearing could not be permitted. As they were

gentle, tractable fellows, they readily obeyed, and, though they must have suffered considerably, there were

It has been already noticed that they were Roman Catholicsall except Tui, who from his superior mental

elevation looked down upon their beliefs with calm contempt, although really a greater heathen than any of

them had ever been. It was quite pathetic to see how earnestly they endeavoured to maintain the form of

worship to which they had been accustomed, though how they managed without their priest, I could not find

out. Every evening they had prayers together, accompanied by many crossings and genuflexions, and wound

up by the singing of a hymn in such queer Latin that it was almost unrecognizable. After much wondering I

did manage to make out "O Salutaris Hostia!" and "Tantum Ergo," but not until their queer pronunciation of

consonants had become familiar. Some of the hymns were in their own tongue, only one of which I call now

"Mahleeah, Kollyeea leekee; Obselloh mo mallamah. Alofah, keea ma toh; Fah na oh, Mah lah ee ah"

which I understood to be a native rendering of "O Stella Maris!" It was sung to the wellknown

"Processional" in good time, and on that account, I suppose, fixed itself in my memory.

Whenever any of them were ordered aloft, they never failed to cross themselves before taking to the rigging,

as if impressed with a sense of their chance of not returning again in safety. To me was given the congenial

task of teaching them the duties required, and I am bound to admit that they were willing, biddable, and

cheerful learners. Another amiable trait in their characters was especially noticeable: they always held

everything in common. No matter how small the portion received by any one, it was scrupulously shared with

the others who lacked, and this subdivision was often carried to ludicrous lengths.

As there was so reason to hurry south, we, took a short cruise on the Vasquez ground, more, I think, for the

purpose of training our recruits than anything else. As far as the results to our profit were concerned, we

might almost as well have gone straight on, for we only took one small cowcachalot. But the time spent thus

cruising was by no means wasted. Before we left finally for New Zealand, every one of those Kanakas was as

much at home in the whaleboats as he would have been in a canoe. Of course they were greatly helped by

their entire familiarity with the water, which took from them all that dread of being drowned which hampers

the white "greenie" so sorely, besides which, the absolute confidence they had in our prowess amongst the

Tui proved himself to be a smart harpooner, and was chosen for the captain's boat. During our conversations,

I was secretly amused to hear him allude to himself as Sam, thinking how little it accorded with his

SOIDISANT Kanaka origin. He often regaled me with accounts of his royal struggles to maintain his rule,

all of which narrations I received with a goodly amount of reserve, though confirmed in some particulars by

the Kanakas, when I became able to converse with them. But I was hardly prepared to find, as I did many

years after, upon looking up some detail in Findlay's "South Pacific Directory," this worthy alluded to as "the

celebrated Sam," in a brief account of Futuna. There he was said to be king of the twin isles; so I suppose he

found means to oust his rival, and resume his sovereignty; though, how an American negro, as Sam

undoubtedly was, ever managed to gain such a position, remains to me an unfathomable mystery. Certainly

he did not reveal any such masterful attributes as one would have expected in him, while he served as

Gradually we crept south, until one morning we sighted the towering mass of Sunday Island, the principal

member of the small Kermadec group, which lies nearly on the prime meridian of one hundred and eighty

degrees, and but a short distance north of the extremity of New Zealand. We had long ago finished the last of

our fresh provisions, fish had been very scarce, so the captain seized the opportunity to give us a run ashore,

and at the same time instructed us to do such foraging as we could. It was rumoured that there were many

wild pigs to be found, and certainly abundance of goats; but if both these sources of supply failed, we could

The island is a stupendous mass of rock, rising sheer from the waves, in some places to a height of fifteen

hundred feet. These towering cliffs are clothed with verdure, large trees clinging to their precipitous sides in a

marvellous way. Except at one small bight, known as Denham Bay, the place is inaccessible, not only from

the steepness of its cliffs, but because, owing to its position, the gigantic swell of the South Pacific assails

those immense bastions with a force and volume that would destroy instantly any vessel that unfortunately

ventured too near. Denham Bay, however, is in some measure protected by reefs of scattered boulders, which

break the greatest volume of the oncoming rollers. Within those protecting barriers, with certain winds, it is

possible to effect a landing with caution; but even then no tyro in boathandling should venture to do so, as

We hoveto off the little bay, the waters of which looked placid enough for a pleasureparty, lowered two

boats well furnished with fishing gear and such other equipment as we thought would be needed, and pulled

away for the landingplace. As we drew near the beach, we found that, in spite of the hindrance to the ocean

swell afforded by the reefs, it broke upon the beach in rollers of immense size. In order to avoid any mishap,

then, we turned the boats' heads to seaward, and gently backed towards the beach, until a larger breaker than

usual came thundering in. As it rushed towards us, we pulled lustily to meet it, the lovely craft rising to its

foaming crest like seabirds. Then, as soon as we were on its outer slope, we reversed the stroke again,

coming in on its mighty shoulders at racing speed. The instant our keels touched the beach we all leapt out,

and exerting every ounce of strength we possessed, ran the boats up high and dry before the next roller had

time to do more than hiss harmlessly around our feet. It was a task of uncommon difficulty, for the shore was

wholly composed of loose lava and pumicestone grit, into which we sank ankledeep at every step, besides

We managed, however, to escape without any mishap, for the drenching was a boon to our burntup skins.

Off we started along the level land, which, as far as I could judge, extended inland for perhaps a mile and a

half by about two miles wide. From this flat shelf the cliffs rose perpendicularly, as they did from the sea. Up

their sides were innumerable goattracks, upon some of which we could descry a few of those agile creatures

climbing almost like flies. The plateau was thickly wooded, many of the trees having been fruitbearing

A ruined house, surrounded by other vestiges of what had once been a homestead, stood in the middle of this

piece of land. Feeling curious to know what the history of this isolated settlement might be, I asked the mate

if he knew anything of it. He told me that an American named Halstead, with his family, lived here for years,

visited only by an occasional whaler, to whom they sold such produce as they might have and be able to spare

at the time. What their previous history had been, or why they thus chose to cut themselves off from the

world, he did not know; but they seemed contented enough with their tiny kingdom, nor had any wish to

leave it. But it came to pass that one night they felt the sure and firmset earth trembling convulsively

beneath their feet. Rushing out of their house, they saw the heavens bespread with an awful pall of smoke, the

underside of which was glowing with the reflected fires of some vast furnace. Their terror was increased by

a smart shower of falling ashes and the reverberations of subterranean thunders. At first they thought of flight

in their boat, not reckoning the wide stretch of sea which rolled between them and the nearest land, but the

Their situation was pitiable in the extreme. During the years of peace and serenity they had spent here, no

thought of the insecurity of their tenure had troubled them. Though they had but been dwellers on the

threshold of the mountain, as it were, and any extension of their territory impossible by reason of the

insurmountable barrier around them, they had led an untroubled life, all unknowing of the fearful forces

beneath their feet. But now they found the foundations of the rocks beneath breaking up; that withering,

incessant shower of ashes and scoriae destroyed all their crops; the mild and delicate air changed into a

heavy, sulphurous miasma; while overhead the beneficent face of the brightblue sky had become a horrible

canopy of deadly black, about which played lurid coruscations of infernal fires.

What they endured throughout those days and nights of woe, could never be told. They fled from the home

they had reared with such abundance of loving labour, taking refuge in a cave; for not even the knowledge

that the mountain itself seemed to be in the throes of dissolution could entirely destroy their trust in those

apparently eternal fastnesses. Here their eldest son died, worried to death by incessant terror. At last a passing

whaler, remembering them and seeing the condition of things, had the humanity and courage to stand in near

enough to see their agonized signals of distress. All of them, except the son buried but a day or two before,

were safely received and carried away, leaving the terrible mountain to its solitude.

As I listened, I almost involuntarily cast my eyes upwards; nor was I at all surprised to see far overhead a

solitary patch of smoky cloud, which I believe to have been a sure indication that the volcano was still liable

So far, we had not happened upon any pigs, or goats either, although we saw many indications of the latter

odoriferous animal. There were few seabirds to be seen, but in and out among the dense undergrowth ran

many shortlegged brown birds, something like a partridgethe same, I believe, as we afterwards became

familiar with in Stewart's Island by the name of "Maori hens." They were so tame and inquisitive that we had

no difficulty in securing a few by the simple process of knocking them over with sticks. From the main

branch of a large tree hung a big honeycomb, out of which the honey was draining upon the earth. Around it

buzzed a busy concourse of bees, who appeared to us so formidable that we decided to leave them to the

So far, our rambling had revealed nothing of any service to us; but just then, struck by the appearance of a

plant which was growing profusely in a glade we were passing over, I made bold to taste one of the leaves.

What the botanical name of the vegetable is, I do not know; but, under the designation of "Maori cabbage," it

is well known in New Zealand. It looks like a lettuce, running to seed; but it tastes exactly like young

turniptops, and is a splendid antiscorbutic. What its discovery meant to us, I can hardly convey to any one

who does not know what an insatiable craving for potatoes and green vegetables possesses seamen when they

have for long been deprived of these humble but necessary articles of food. Under the circumstances, no

"find" could have given us greater pleasurethat is, in the food linethan this did.

Taking it all round, however, the place as a foraging ground was not a success. We chased a goat of very

large size, and beard voluminous as a Rabbi's, into a cave, which may have been the one the Halsteads took

shelter in, for we saw no other. One of the Kanakas volunteered to go in after him with a line, and did so. The

resultant encounter was the best bit of fun we had had for many a day. After a period of darksome scuffling

within, the entangled pair emerged, fiercely wrestling, Billy being to all appearance much the fresher of the

two. Fair play seemed to demand that we should let them fight it out; but, sad to say, the other Kanakas could

not see things in that light, and Billy was soon despatched. Rather needless killing, too; for no one, except at

starvationpoint, could have eaten the poor remains of leathery flesh that still decorated that weatherbeaten

But this sort of thing was tiring and unprofitable. The interest of the place soon fizzled out, when it was found

there was so little worth taking away; so, as the day was getting on, it was decided to launch off and start

fishing. In a few minutes we were afloat again, and anchored, in about four fathoms, in as favourable a spot

for our sport as ever I saw. Fish swarmed about us of many sorts, but principally of the "kauwhai," a kind of

mullet very plentiful about Auckland, and averaging five or six pounds. Much to my annoyance, we had not

been able to get any bait, except a bit of raw saltpork, which hardly any fish but the shark tribe will look at.

Had I known or thought of it, a bit of goat would have been far more attractive.

However, as there was no help for it, we baited up and started. "Nary nibble ermong 'em!" growled Sam, as

we sat impatiently waiting for a bite. When we hauled up to see what was wrong, fish followed the hook up

in hundreds, letting us know plainly as possible that they only wanted something tasty. It was outrageous,

exasperating beyond measure! At last Samuela grew so tired of it that he seized his harpoon, and hurled it

into the middle of a company of kauwhai that were calmly nosing around the bows. By the merest chance he

managed to impale one of them upon the broad point. It was hardly in the boat before I had seized it, scaled

it, and cut it into neat little blocks. All hands rebaited with it, and flung out again. The change was

astounding. Up they came, two at a time, dozens and dozens of them kauwhai, cavalle, yellowtail,

schnapperlovely fish of delicious flavour and goodly size. Then one of us got a fish which made him yell,

"Shark! shark!" with all his might. He had a small line of American cotton, staunch as copper wire, but

dreadfully cutting to the hands. When he took a turn round the loggerhead, the friction of the running line

cut right into the white oak, but the wonderful cord and hook still held their own. At last the monster yielded,

coming in at first inch by inch, then more rapidly, till raised in triumph above the gunwhalea yellowtail

six feet long. I have caught this splendid fish (ELAGATIS BIPINNULATIS) many times before and since

then, but never did I see such a grand specimen as this oneno, not by thirty or forty pounds. Then I got a

giant cavalle. His broad, shieldlike body blazed hither and thither as I struggled to ship him, but it was long

Meanwhile, the others had been steadily increasing our cargo, until, feeling that we had quite as much fish as

would suffice us, besides being really a good load, I suggested a move towards the ship. We were laying

within about half a mile of the shore, where the extremity of the level land reached the cliffs. Up one of the

wellworn tracks a fine, fat goat was slowly creeping, stopping every now and then to browse upon the short

herbage that clung to the crevices of the rock. Without saying a word, Polly the Kanaka slipped over the side,

and struck out with swift overhead strokes for the foot of the cliff. As soon as I saw what, he was after, I

shouted loudly for him to return, but he either could not or would not hear me. The fellow's seallike ability

as a swimmer was, of course, well known to me, but I must confess I trembled for his life in such a weltering

whirl of rocktorn sea as boiled among the crags at the base of that precipice. He, however, evidently knew

what he was going to do, and, though taking risks which would have certainly been fatal to an ordinary

We all watched him breathlessly as he apparently headed straight for the biggest outlying rocka square,

black boulder about the size of an ordinary railway car. He came up to it on the summit of a foaming wave;

but just as I looked for him to be dashed to pieces against its adamantine sides, he threw his legs into the air

and disappeared. A stealthy, satisfied smile glowed upon Samuela's rugged visage, and, as he caught my eye,

he said jauntily, "Polly savee too much. Lookee him come on top one time!" I looked, and sure enough there

was the daring villain crawling up among the kelp far out of reach of the hungry rollers. It was a marvellous

Without waiting an instant, he began to stalk the goat, dodging amongst the bushes with feet that clung to the

steep sides of the cliff as well as the animal's. Before he could reach her, she had winded him, and was off up

the track. He followed, without further attempt to hide himself; but, despite his vigour and ability, would, I

fancy, have stood a microscopic chance of catching her had she not been heavy with kid. As it was, he had all

his work cut out for him. When he did catch her, she made so fierce it struggle for life and liberty that, in the

endeavour to hold her, he missed his insecure foothold, and the pair came tumbling over and over down the

cliff in a miniature avalanche of stones and dust. At the bottom they both lay quiet for a time; while I

anxiously waited, fearing the rash fool was seriously injured; but in a minute or two he was on his feet again.

Lashing the goat to his body, and ignoring her struggles, he crawled out as far among the rocks as he could;

then, at the approach of a big breaker, he dived to meet it, coming up outside its threatening top like a

lifebuoy. I pulled in, as near as I could venture, to pick him up, and in a few minutes had him safely on

board again, but suffering fearfully. In his roll down the cliff he had been without his trousers, which would

have been some protection to him. Consequently, his thighs were deeply cut and torn in many places, while

the brine entering so many wounds, though a grand styptic, must have tortured him unspeakably. At any rate,

though he was a regular stoic to bear pain, he fainted while I was "dressing him down" in the most vigorous

language I could command for his foolhardy trick. Then we all realized what he must be going through, and

felt that he was getting all the punishment he deserved, and more. The goat, poor thing! seemed none the

The mate gave the signal to get back on board just as Polly revived, so there were no inconvenient questions

asked, and we returned alongside in triumph, with such a cargo of fish as would have given us a good month's

pay all round could we have landed them at Billingsgate. Although the mate had not succeeded as well as we,

the catch of the two boats aggregated half a ton, not a fish among the lot less than five pounds weight, and

one of a hundred and twentythe yellowtail aforesaid. As soon as we reached the ship, the boats were run

As the great mass of that solitary mountain faded away in the gathering shades of evening, it was impossible

to help remembering the sufferings of that afflicted family, confined to those trembling, sulphurous,

ashbestrewn rocks, amid gloom by day, and unnatural glare by night, for all that weary while. And while I

admit that there is to some people a charm in being alone with nature, it is altogether another thing when your

solitude becomes compulsory, your paradise a prison from which you cannot break away. There are many

such nooks scattered about the ocean, where men have hidden themselves away from the busy world, and

been forgotten by it; but few of them, I fancy, offer such potentialities of terror as Sunday Island.

We had hardly lost sight of the land, when Polly's capture gave birth to a kid. This event was the most

interesting thing that had happened on board for a great while, and the funny little visitor would have run

great risk of being completely spoiled had he lived. But, to our universal sorrow, the mother's milk failed

from want of green food, I supposeand we were obliged to kill the poor little chap to save him from

being starved to death. He made a savoury mess for some whose appetite for fleshmeat was stronger than

To an ordinary trader, the distance between the Kermadecs and the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, roughly

represents a couple of days' sail; but to us, who were apparently incapable of hurry under any circumstances,

it meant a good week's bludgeoning the protesting waves before the grim outliers of the Three Kings came

into view. Even then, although the distance was a mere bagatelle, it was another two days before we arrived

off that magnificent harbour where reposes the oldest township in New ZealandRussell, where rest the

mortal remains of the first really Pakeha Maori, but which, for some unaccountable reason, is still left

undeveloped and neglected, visited only by the wandering whalers (in ever decreasing numbers) and an

occasional trim, businesslike, and gentlemanly mano'war, that, like a Guardsman strolling the West End

in mufti, stalks the sea with never an item of her smart rig deviating by a shade from its proper set or sheer.

In a comparative new colony like New Zealand, where the marvellous growth of the young state can be

traced within living memory, from the privations of the pioneer to the fully developed city with all the

machinery of our latest luxurious civilization, it is exceedingly interesting to note how the principal towns

have sprung up arbitrarily, and without any heed to the intentions of the ruling powers. The oldfashioned

township of Kororarika, or Port Russell, is a case very much in point. As we sailed in between the many islets

from which the magnificent bay takes its name, for all appearances to the contrary, we might have been the

first, discoverers. Not a house, not a sail, not a boat, broke the loneliness and primeval look of the placid

waters and the adjacent shores. Not until we drew near the anchorage, and saw upon opening up the little

town the straightstanding masts of three whaleships, did anything appear to dispel the intense air of

solitude overhanging the whole. As we drew nearer, and roundedto for mooring, I looked expectantly for

some sign of enterprise on the part of the inhabitantssome tradesman's boat soliciting orders; some of the

population on the beach (there was no sign of a pier), watching the visitor come to an anchor. Not a bit of it.

The whole place seemed a maritime sleepy hollow, the dwellers in which had lost all interest in life, and had

become far less energetic than the muchmaligned Kanakas in their dreamy isles of summer.

Yet this was once intended for the capital of New Zealand. When the large and splendidlybuilt city of

Dunedin, Otago, was a barren bush, haunted only by the "morepork" and the apteryx, Russell was humming

with vitality, her harbour busy with fleets of ships, principally whalers, who found it the most convenient

callingplace in the southern temperate zone. Terrible scenes were enacted about its "blackguard beach,"

orgies of wild debauchery and bloodshed indulged in by the halfsavage and utterly lawless crews of the

whaleships. But it never attained to any real importance. As a port of call for whalers, it enjoyed a certain

kind of prosperity; but when the South Sea fishery dwindled, Russell shrank in immediate sympathy. It never

had any vitality of its own, no manufactures or products, unless the wretched coalmines adjacent, with their

dirty output, which is scoffed at by the grimiest tug afloat, could be dignified by the name.

Remembering, as I did, the beauty, the energy, and prosperity of the great New Zealand ports, some of them

with not a tithe of the natural advantages of Russell, I felt amazed, almost indignant, at its deadandalive

Our anchor was no sooner down than the captains of the JAMES ARNOLD, MATILDA SAYER, and

CORAL lowered and came on board, eager to hear or to tell such news as was going. As we had now grown

to expect, all work was over immediately the sails were fast and decks cleared up, so that we were free to

entertain our visitors. And a high old time we had of it that afternoon! What with songs, dances, and yarns,

the hours flew by with lightning speed. Our Kanakas, too, were overjoyed to find compatriots among the

visitors, and settled down to a steady stream of talk which lasted, without intermission, the whole night

through. It was a wonderful exhibition of tonguewagging, though what it was all about puzzled me greatly.

Life on board those three ships, though described in glowing terms by the visitors, was evidently not to be

mentioned for comfort in the same breath as ours. But we found that our late captain's fame as a "hard

citizen" was well known to all; so that it is only ordinary justice to suppose that such a life as he led us was

exceptional for even a Yankee spouter. Our friends gave us a bloodcurdling account of the Solander

whaling ground, which we were about to visit, the JAMES ARNOLD and CORAL having spent a season

there that cruise. I did not, however, pay much attention to their yarns, feeling sure that, even if they were

fact, it would not help to brood over coming hardships, and inclined to give liberal discount to most of their

statements. The incessant chatter, got wearisome at last, and I, for one, was not sorry when, at two in the

morning, our visitors departed to their several ships, and left us to get what sleep still remained left to us.

A pleasant expedition was planned for the next day. Our visit being principally for wooding and watering,

both of which it was necessary for us to do ourselves, Captain Count showed his usual promptitude in

commencing at once. Permission having been obtained and, I suppose, paid for, we set out with two boats

and a plentiful supply of axes for a wellwooded promontory to prepare a store of wood. Wood chopping is

not usually looked upon as a sailor's pastime; but we had had considerable experience during the voyage, as a

result of which most of us could swing an axe in fine style. But the Kanakas beat us all hollow. Delighted to

get ashore again, pleased with the fine axes as children with new toys, they laid about them in grand style, the

young trees falling right and left in scores. Anybody would have judged that we were working piecework, at

so much a cord, the pile grew so fast. There was such a quantity collected that, instead of lightering it off in

the boats, which is very rough and dirty usage for them, I constructed a sort of raft with four large spars

arranged in the form of an oblong, placing an immense quantity of the smaller stuff in between. Upright

sticks were rudely lashed here and there, to keep the pile from bobbing out underneath, and thus loaded we

proceeded slowly to the ship with sufficient wood for our wants brought in one journey. It was immediately

hoisted on board, sawn into convenient lengths, and stowed away, the whole operation being completed, of

getting between eight and ten tons of firewood cut, ferried, and stowed, in less than eight hours.

Next day was devoted to watering; but as I have elsewhere described that necessary if prosaic occupation, I

will not repeat the story. Sufficient to say that the job was successfully "did" in the course of the day.

All the work being accomplished for which we had come, it only remained to give the crew "liberty." So the

port watch, in their best (?) rig, were mustered aft; each man received ten shillings, and away they went in

glee for the first genuine day's liberty since leaving Honolulu. For although they had been much ashore in

Vau Vau, that was not looked upon in the same light as a day's freedom in a town where liquor might be

procured, and the questionable privilege of getting drunk taken advantage of. Envious eyes watched their

progress from the other ships, but, much to my secret satisfaction, none of their crews were allowed ashore at

the same time. There were quite sufficient possibilities of a row among our own crowd, without farther

complications such as would almost certainly have occurred had the strangers been let loose at the same time.

Unfortunately, to the ordinary sailorman, the place presented no other forms of amusement besides

drinking, and I was grieved to see almost the whole crowd, including the Kanakas, emerge from the

grogshop plentifully supplied with bottles, and, seating themselves on the beach, commence their carouse.

The natives evinced the greatest eagerness to get drunk, swallowing down the horrible "square gin" as if it

were water. They passed with the utmost rapidity through all the stages of drunkenness. Before they had been

ashore an hour, most of them were lying like logs, in the full blaze of the sun, on the beach. Seeing this, the

captain suggested the advisability of bringing them on board at once, as they were only exposed to robbery by

the few prowling Maories that loafed about the beacha curious contrast to the stately fellows met with in

So we set to work, and brought them on board again, handing them over to their compatriots by way of

warning against similar excesses, although, it must be confessed, that they were hardly to blame, with the

example of their more civilized shipmates before their eyes. Sam was energetic in his condemnation of both

the Kanakas for getting drunk, and the captain for giving them any money wherewith to do so. The remainder

of the watch fortunately concluded their carouse without any serious disorder. A few bruises bestowed upon

one another, more in clumsy horseplay than real fighting summed up the casualties among them. By ten

o'clock that evening we had them all safely on board again, ready for sore heads and repentance in the

During the day I had evolved a scheme, which I had great hopes of carrying out when our watch should be let

loose on the morrow. When morning came, and the liberty men received their money, I called them together

and unfolded my plan. Briefly, I proposed a sort of picnic at a beautiful spot discovered during our wooding

expedition. I was surprised and very pleased at the eager way in which all, with the sole exceptions of Tui

and his fellow harpooner, a Portuguese, fell in with my suggestions. Without any solicitation on my part,

my Kanakas brought me their money, begging me to expend it for them, as they did not know how, and did

Under such favourable auspices as these, we landed shortly after eight a.m., making a beeline for the only

provision shop the place boasted. Here we laid in a stock of such savouries as we had long been strangers to,

both eatables and drinkables, although I vetoed firewater altogether. Beer in bottle was substituted, at my

suggestion, as being, if we must have drinks of that nature, much the least harmful to men in a hot country,

besides, in the quantity that we were able to take, non intoxicant. We also took tea, sugar, milk, and a kettle,

Thus furnished, we struck for the country, merry as a group of schoolboys, making the quiet air ring again

with song, shout, and laughterall of which may seem puerile and trivial in the extreme; but having seen

liberty men ashore in nearly every big port in the world, watched the helpless, dazed look with which they

wander about, swinging hands, bent shoulders, and purposeless rolling gait, I have often fervently wished that

some one would take a party of them for a ramble with a definite purpose, helping them to a little enjoyment,

instead of them falling, from sheer lack of knowing what else to do, into some dirty, darksome ginmill, to be

I do earnestly wish that some of the good folk in London and Liverpool, who are wringing their hands for

want of something to do among their fellowmen, would pay a visit to sailortown for the purpose of getting

up a personallyconducted party of sailors to see the sights worth seeing. It is a cheap form of pleasure, even

if they paid all expenses, though that would not be likely. They would have an uphill job at first, for the sailor

has been so long accustomed to being preyed upon by the class he knows, and neglected by everybody else

except the few good people who want to preach to him, that he would probably, in a sheepish shamefaced

sort of way, refuse to have any "truck" with you, as he calls it. If the "sailors' home" people were worth their

salt, they would organize expeditions by carriage to such beautiful places asin London, for

instanceHampton Court, Zoological Gardens, Crystal Palace, Epping Forest, and the like, with competent

guides and good catering arrangements. But no; the sailor is allowed to step outside the door of the "home"

into the grimy, dismal streets with nothing open to him but the dance house and brothel on one side, and the

mission hall or reading room on the other. God forbid that I should even appear to sneer at missions to

seamen; nothing is farther from my intention; but I do feel that sailors need a little healthy human interest to

be taken in providing some pleasure for them, and that there are unorthodox ways of "missioning" which are

I once took a party (while I was an A.B.) from Wellsstreet Home to the South Kensington Museum. There

were six of thema Frenchman, a Dane, a Russian Finn, two Englishmen, and an Irishman. Though

continually sailing from London for years, this was the first occasion they had ever been west of Aldgate. The

only mistake I made was in going too deep at one step. The journey from Shadwell to South Kensington,

under the guidance of one familiar, through the hardest personal experiences, with every corner of the vast

network, was quite enough for one day. So that by the time we entered the Museum they were surfeited

temporarily with sightseeing, and not able to take in the wonders of the mighty place. Seeing this, I did not

persist, but, after some rest and refreshment, led them across the road among the naval models. Ah! it was a

rare treat to see them there. For if there is one thing more than another which interests a sailor, it is a

wellmade model of a ship. Sailors are modelmakers almost by nature, turning out with the most meagre

outfit of tools some wonderfullyfinished replicas of the vessels is which they have sailed. And the collection

of naval models at South Kensington is, I suppose, unsurpassed in the world for the number and finish of the

Our day was a great success, never to be forgotten by those poor fellows, whose only recreation previously

had been to stroll listlessly up and down the gloomy, stoneflagged hall of the great barracks until sheer

weariness drove them out into the turbid current of the "Highway," there to seek speedily some of the dirty

But I have wandered far from the Bay of Islands while thus chattering of the difficulties that beset the path of

rational enjoyment for the sailor ashore. Returning to that happy day, I remember vividly how, just after we

got clear of the town, we were turning down a lane between hedgerows wonderfully like one of our own

country roads, when somethingI could not tell what gripped my heart and sent a lump into my throat.

Tears sprang unbidden to my eyes, and I trembled from head to foot with emotion. Whatever could it be?

Bewildered for the moment, I looked around, and saw a hedge laden with white hawthorn blossom, the sweet

English "may." Every Londoner knows how strongly that beautiful scent appeals to him, even when wafted

from draggled branches borne slumwards by tramping urchins who have been far afield despoiling the trees

of their lovely blossoms, careless of the damage they have been doing. But to me, who had not seen a bit for

years, the flood of feeling undammed by that odorous breath, was overwhelming. I could hardly tear myself

away from the spot, and, when at last I did, found myself continually turning to try and catch another whiff of

Presently we came to a cottage flooded from ground to roofridge with blossoms of scarlet geranium. There

must have been thousands of them, all borne by one huge stem which was rooted by the door of the house. A

little in front of it grew a fuchsia, twelve or fourteen feet high, with widespreading branches, likewise

loaded with handsome blooms; while the ground beneath was carpeted with the flowers shaken from their

So, through scenes of loveliness that appealed even to the dusky Kanakas, we trudged gaily along, arriving

pretty well fagged at our destinationa great glade of tenderest green, surrounded by magnificent trees on

three sides; the fourth opening on to a dazzling white beach sloping gently down to the sea. Looking seaward,

amidst the dancing, sparkling wavelets, rose numerous treeclothed islets, making a perfectly beautiful

seascape. On either side of the stretch of beach fantastic masses of rock lay about, as if scattered by some

tremendous explosion. Where the sea reached them, they were covered with untold myriads of oysters, ready

What need to say more? With oysterfeeding, fishing, bathing, treeclimbing, teamaking, songsinging the

hours fled with pitiless haste, so that, before we had half emptied the brimming cup of joys proffered us, the

slanting rays of the setting sun warned us to return lest we should get "hushed" in the dark. We came on

board rejoicing, laden with spoils of flowers and fish, with twothirds of our money still in our pockets, and

A long night's sound sleep was rudely broken into in the morning by the cry of "Man the windlass." Having

got all we wanted, we were bound away to finish, if luck were with us, the lading of our good ship from the

teeming waters of the Solander grounds. I know the skipper's hopes were high, for he never tired of telling

how, when in command of a new ship, he once fished the whole of his cargosix thousand barrels of sperm

oilfrom the neighbourhood to which we were now bound. He always admitted, though, that the weather he

experienced was unprecedented. Still, nothing could shake his belief in the wonderful numbers of sperm

whales to be found on the south coasts of New Zealand, which faith was well warranted, since he had there

won from the waves, not only the value of his new ship, but a handsome profit in addition, all in one season.

Hearing this kind of thing every day made me feel quite hungry to reach the battlefield; but, for reasons

which doubtless were excellent, although I cannot pretend to explain them, we started north about, which not

only added nearly one hundred miles to the distance we had to go, but involved us in a gale which effectually

stopped our progress for a week. It was our first taste of the gentle zephyrs which waft their sweetness over

New Zealand, after sweeping over the vast, bleak, icebergstudded expanse of the Antarctic Ocean. Our poor

Kanakas were terribly frightened, for the weather of their experience, except on the rare occasions when they

are visited by the devastating hurricane, is always fine, steady, and warm. For the first time in their lives they

saw hail, and their wonder was too great for words. But the cold was very trying, not only to them, but to us,

who had been so long in the tropics that our blood was almost turned to water. The change was nearly as

abrupt as that so often experienced by our seamen, who at the rate of sixteen knots an hour plunge from a

We, with the ready adaptability of seamen, soon got accustomed to the bleak, bitter weather, but the Kanakas

wilted like hothouse plants under its influence. They were well fed and well clothed, yet they seemed to

shrivel up, looking thinner every day, several of them getting deep coughs strongly suggestive of a cemetery.

It was no easy task to get them to work, or even move, never a one of them lumbering aloft but I expected

him to come down by the run. This was by no means cheering, when it was remembered what kind of a

campaign lay before us. Captain Count seemed to be quite easy in his mind, However, and as we had implicit

The gale at last blew itself out, the wind veering to the northward again, with beautiful, springlike weather,

just cool enough to be pleasant, and, withal, favourable for getting to our destination. We soon made the land

again about New Plymouth, jogging along near enough to the coast to admire the splendid rugged scenery of

the Britain of the south. All hands were kept busily employed preparing for stormy weatherreeving new

runninggear, bending the strongest suit of sails, and looking well to all the whaling gear.

In this active exercise of real sailorwork, the time, though long for an ordinary passage, passed quickly and

pleasantly away, so that when we hauled round the massive promontory guarding the western entrance to

This, then, was the famous and dreaded Solander whaling ground. Almost in the centre of the wide stretch of

sea between Preservation Inlet, on the Middle Island, and the western end of the South, or Stewart's Island,

rose a majestic mass of wave beaten rock some two thousand feet high, like a grim sentinel guarding the

Straits. The extent of the fishing grounds was not more than a hundred and fifty square miles, and it was

rarely that the vessels cruised over the whole of it. The most likely area for finding whales was said to be well

within sight of the Solander Rock itself, but keeping on the western side of it.

It was a lovely day when we first entered upon our cruising ground, a gentle northeast wind blowing, the

sky a deep, cloudless blue, so that the rugged outline of Stewart's Island was distinctly seen at its extreme

distance from us. To the eastward the Straits narrowed rapidly, the passage at the other end being scarcely

five miles wide between the wellknown harbour of the Bluff, the port of Invercargill, and a long rocky

island which almost blocked the strait. This passage, though cutting off a big corner, not only shortening the

distance from the westward considerably, but oftentimes saving outward bounders a great deal of heavy

weather off the Snares to the south of Stewart's Island, is rarely used by sailingships, except coasters; but

steamers regularly avail themselves of it, being independent of its conflicting currents and baffling winds.

Our opening day was an auspicious one. We had not been within the cruising radius more than four hours

before the longsilent; cry of "Blooow!" resounded from the mainmast head. It was a lone whale,

apparently of large size, though spouting almost as feebly as a calf. But that, I was told by the skipper, was

nothing to go by down here. He believed right firmly that there were no small whales to be found in these

waters at all. He averred that in all his experience he had never seen a cow cachalot anywhere around

Stewart's Island, although, as usual, he did no theorizing as to the reason why.

Eagerly we took to the boats and made for our first fish, Setting alongside of him in less than half an hour

from our first glimpse of his bushy breath. As the irons sank into his blubber, he raised himself a little, and

exposed a back like a big ship bottom up. Verily, the skipper's words were justified, for we had seen nothing

bigger of the whalekind that voyage. His manner puzzled us not a little. He had not a kick in him.

Complacently, as though only anxious to oblige, he laid quietly while we cleared for action, nor did he show

any signs of resentment or pain while he was being lanced with all the vigour we possessed. He just took all

our assaults with perfect quietude and exemplary patience, so that we could hardly help regarding him with

great suspicion, suspecting some deep scheme of deviltry hidden by this abnormally sheeplike demeanour.

But nothing happened. In the same peaceful way he died, without the slightest struggle sufficient to raise

Leaving the mate by the carcass, we returned on board, the skipper hailing us immediately on our arrival to

know what was the matter with him. We, of course, did not know, neither did the question trouble us. All we

were concerned about was the magnanimous way in which he, so to speak, made us a present of himself,

giving us no more trouble to secure his treasure than as if he had been a lifeless thing. We soon had him

alongside, finding, upon ranging him by the ship, that he was over seventy feet long, with a breadth of bulk

Cuttingin commenced at once, for fine weather there was by no means to be wasted, being of rare

occurrence and liable at the shortest notice to be succeeded by a howling gale. Our latest acquisition,

however, was of such gigantic proportions that the decapitation alone bade fair to take us all night. A nasty

cross swell began to get up, tooa combination of northwesterly and southwesterly which, meeting at an

angle where the Straits began, raised a curious "jobble," making the vessel behave in a drunken, uncertain

manner. Sailors do not mind a ship rolling or pitching, any more than a rider minds the motion of his horse;

but when she does both at once, with no approach to regularity in her movements, it makes them feel angry

with her. What, then, must our feelings have been under such trying conditions, with that mountain of matter

alongside to which so much sheer hard labour had to be done, while the sky was getting greasy and the wind

Everybody worked like Chinamen on a contract, as if there was no such feeling as fatigue. Little was said, but

we all realized that unless this job was got over before what was brooding burst upon us, we should certainly

lose some portion of our hardwon whale. Still, our utmost possible was all we could do; and when at

daylight the head was hauled alongside for cutting up, the imminent possibility of losing it, though grievous

to think of, worried nobody, for all had done their best. The gale had commenced in businesslike fashion,

but the sea was horrible. It was almost impossible to keep one's footing on the stage. At times the whole mass

of the head would be sucked down by the lee roll of the ship, and go right under her keel, the flukechain

which held it grinding and straining as if it would tear the bows out of her. Then when she rolled back again

the head would rebound to the surface right away from the ship, where we could not reach it to cut. Once or

twice it bounced up beneath our feet, striking the stage and lifting it with its living load several inches, letting

it fall again with a jerk that made us all cling for dear life to our precarious perch.

In spite of these capers, we managed to get the junk off the head. It was a tremendous lift for us; I hardly

think we had ever raised such a weight before. The skipper himself estimated it at fifteen tons, which was no

small load for the tackles in fine weather, but with the ship tumbling about in her present fashion, it

threatened to rip the mainmast out by the rootsnot, of course, the deadweight strain; but when it was

nearly aboard, her sudden lee wallow sometimes floated the whole mass, which the next instant, on the return

roll, would be torn out of water, with all the force of the ship suddenly rolling the other way. Every splinter,

every ropeyarn of her groaned again under this savage treatment; but so splendid was her construction that

she never made a drop of water more than just sufficient to sweeten the limbers.

It was with great and genuine satisfaction that we saw it at last safely lowered on deck and secured. But when

we turned our attention to the case, which, still attached to the skull, battered alongside, any chance of saving

it was at once seen to be hopeless. Indeed, as the old man said, it was time for us to "up stick" and run for

shelter. We had been too fully occupied to notice the gradual increase of the wind; but when we did, there

was no gainsaying the fact that it was blowing a very stiff breeze (ANGLICE, a violent gale). Fortunately for

us, it was from the westward, fair for the harbour of Port William, on the Stewart's Island side of the Straits,

so that we were free from the apprehension of being blown out to sea or on a jagged lee shore.

While we were thus thinking during a brief pause to take breath, the old packet herself solved our last

difficulty in emphatic fashion. She gave a tremendous lee lurch, which would inevitably have destroyed the

cutting stage if we had not hoisted it, driving right over the head, which actually rose to the surface to

windward, having passed under her bottom. The weather roll immediately following was swift and sudden.

From the nature of things, it was evident that something must give way this time. It did. For the first and only

time in my experience, the fluke chain was actually torn through the piece to which it was fast two feet of

solid gristle ripped asunder. Away went the head with its L150 to L200 worth of pure spermaceti,

It had no sooner gone than more sail was set, the yards were squared, and the vessel kept away up the Straits

for shelter. It was a big improvement, for she certainly had begun to make dirty weather of it, and no wonder.

Now, however, running almost dead before the gale, getting into smoother water at every fathom, she was

steady as a rock, allowing us to pursue our greasy avocation in comparative comfort. The gale was still

increasing, although now blowing with great fury; but, to our satisfaction, it was dry and not too cold.

Running before it, too, lessened our appreciation of its force; besides which, we were exceedingly busy

clearing away the enormous mass of the junk, which, draining continually, kept the decks running with oil.

We started to run up the Straits at about ten a.m. At two p.m. we suddenly looked up from our toil, our

attention called by a sudden lull in the wind. We had rounded Saddle Point, a prominent headland, which shut

off from us temporarily the violence of the gale. Two hours later we found ourselves hauling up into the

pretty little harbour of Port William, where, without taking more than a couple of hands off the work, the

vessel was roundedto and anchored with quite as little fuss as bringing a boat alongside a ship. It was the

Once inside the bay, a vessel was sheltered from all winds, the land being high and the entrance intricate. The

water was smooth as a millpond, though the leaden masses of cloud flying overhead and the muffled roar of

the gale told eloquently of the unpleasant state affairs prevailing outside. Two whaleships lay herethe

TAMERANE, of New Bedford, and the CHANCE, of Bluff Harbour. I am bound to confess that there was a

great difference is appearance between the Yankee and the colonialvery much in favour of the former. She

was neat, smart, and seaworthy, looking as if just launched; but the CHANCE looked like some poor old relic

of a bygone day, whose owners, unable to sell her, and too poor to keep her in repair, were just letting her go

while keeping up the insurance, praying fervently each day that she might come to grief, and bring them a

But although it is much safer to trust appearances in ships than in men, any one who summed up the

CHANCE from her generally outworn and povertystricken looks would have been, as I was, "way off." Old

she was, with an indefinite antiquity, carelessly rigged, and vilely unkempt as to her gear, while outside she

did not seem to have had a coat of paint for a generation. She looked what she really wasthe sole survivor

of the once great whaling industry of New Zealand. For although struggling bay whaling stations did exist in

a few sheltered places far away from the general run of traffic, the trade itself might truthfully be said to be

practically extinct. The old CHANCE alone, like some shadow of the past, haunted Foveaux Straits, and

made a better income for her fortunate owners than any of the showy, swift coasting steamers that rushed

In many of the preceding pages I have, though possessing all an Englishman's pride in the prowess of mine

own people, been compelled to bear witness to the wonderful smartness and courage shown by the American

whalemen, to whom their perilous calling seems to have become a second nature. And on other occasions I

have lamented that our own whalers, either at home or in the colonies, never seemed to take so kindly to the

sperm whale fishery as the hardy "down Easters," who first taught them the business; carried it on with

increasing success, in spite of their competition and the depredations of the ALABAMA; flourished long

after the English fishery was dead; and even now muster a fleet of ships engaged in the same bold and

hazardous calling. Therefore, it is the more pleasant to me to be able to chronicle some of the doings of

Captain Gilroy, familiarly known as "Paddy," the master of the CHANCE, who was unsurpassed as a

He was a queer little figure of a manshort, tubby, with scanty red hair, and a brogue thick as peasoup.

Eccentric in most things, he was especially so in his dress, which he seemed to select on the principle of

finding the most unfitting things to wear. Rumour credited him with a numerous halfbreed progeny

certainly be was greatly mixed up with the Maories, half his crew being made up of his dusky friends and

relations by MARRIAGE. Overflowing with kindliness and good temper, his ship was a veritable ark of

refuge for any unfortunate who needed help, which accounted for the numerous deserters from Yankee

whalers who were to be found among his crew. Such whaling skippers as our late commander hated him with

ferocious intensity; and but for his Maori and halfbreed bodyguard, I have little doubt he would have long

before been killed. Living as he had for many years on that stormbeaten coast, he had become, like his

Maories, familiar with every rock and tree in fog or clear, by night or day; he knew them, one might almost

say, as the seal knows them, and feared them as little. His men adored him. They believed him capable of

anything in the way of whaling, and would as soon have thought of questioning the reality of daylight as the

I went on board the evening of, our arrival, hearing some rumours of the doings of the old CHANCE and her

crew, also with the idea that perhaps I might find some countrymen among his very mixed crowd. The first

man I spoke to was Whitechapel to the backbone, plainly to be spotted as such as if it had been tattooed on

his forehead. Making myself at home with him, I desired to know what brought him so far from the "big

smoke," and on board a whaler of all places in the world. He told me he had been a Pickford's vandriver, but

had emigrated to New Zealand, finding that he did not at all like himself in the new country. Trying to pick

and choose instead of manfully choosing a pick and shovel for a beginning, he got hard up. During one of

Captain Gilroy's visits to the Bluff, he came across my exdrayman, looking hungry and woebegone. Invited

on board to have a feed, he begged to be allowed to remain; nor, although his assistance was not needed, was

he refused. "An nar," he said, his face glowing with conscious pride, "y'ort ter see me in a bloomin' bowt. I

ain't agoain' ter say as I kin fling wun o' them 'ere bloomin' 'arpoones like ar bowtsteerers kin; but I kin do

my bit o' grawft wiv enny on 'emdon'tchu make no bloomin' herror." The glorious incongruity of the thing

tickled me immensely; but I laughed more heartily still when on going below I was hailed as "Wot cher,

chummy; 'ow yer hoppin' up?" by another barbarian from the wilds of Spitalfields, who, from the secure

shelter of his cats'meat round in 'Oxton, had got adrift, and, after being severely buffeted by tempestuous

illfortune, had finally found himself in the comfortable old CHANCE, a haven of rest in the midst of storms.

There were sixteen white men on board the CHANCE, including the skipper, drawn as usual from various

European and American sources, the rest of her large crew of over forty all told being made up of Maories

and halfbreeds. One common interest united them, making them the jolliest crowd I ever sawtheir

devotion to their commander. There was here to be found no jealousy of the Maories being officers and

harpooners, no black looks or discontented murmuring; all hands seemed particularly well satisfied with their

lot in all its bearings; so that, although the old tub was malodorous enough to turn even a pretty strong

stomach, it was a pleasure to visit her cheerful crowd for the sake of their enlivening society.

Of course, under our present circumstances, with the debris of our late enormous catch filling every available

space and loudly demanding attention, we had little time to spare for ship visiting. Some boat or other from

the two ships was continually alongside of us, though, for until the gale abated they could not get out to the

grounds again, and time hung heavy on their hands. The TAMERLANE's captain avoided Paddy as if he

were a leper hated the sight of him, in fact, as did most of his CONFRERES; but our genial skipper, whose

crew were every whit as well treated and contented as the CHANCE's, and who therefore needed not to dread

The first fine weather, which came four days after our arrival, both our harbour mates cleared out.

Characteristically, the CHANCE was away first, before daylight had quite asserted itself, and while the bases

of the cliffs and tops of the rocks were as yet hidden in dense wreaths of white haze. Paddy lolled on the

taffrail near the wheel, which was held by an immense half breed, who leant back and carried on a

desultory, familiar conversation with his skipper; the rest of the crew were scattered about the decks,

apparently doing what they liked in any manner they chose. The anchor was being catted, sails going up, and

yards being trimmed; but, to observers like us, no guiding spirit was noticeable. It seemed to work all right,

and the old ark herself looked as if she was as intelligent as any of them; but the sight was not an agreeable

one to men accustomed to discipline. The contrast when the TAMERLANE came along an hour or so after

was emphatic. Every man at his post; every order carried out with the precision of clockwork; the captain

pacing the quarterdeck as if she were a lineofbattle shiphere the airs put on were almost ludicrous in

the other direction. Although she was only "a good jump" long, as we say, whenever an order was given, it

was thundered out as if the men were a mile away each officer appearing to vie with the others as to who

could bellow the loudest. That was carrying things to the opposite extreme, and almost equally objectionable

We were thus left alone to finish our tryingout except for such company as was afforded by the only

resident's little schooner, in which he went oysterdredging. It was exceedingly comfortable in the small

harbour, and the fishing something to remember all one's life. That part of New Zealand is famous for a fish

something like a bream, but with a longer snout, and striped longitudinally with black and yellow. I am

ignorant of any polysyllabic prefix for it, only knowing it by its trivial and local appellation of the

"trumpeter," from the peculiar sound it makes when out of water. But no other fish out of the innumerable

varieties which I have sampled in all parts of the world could compare with the trumpeter for flavour and

delicacy. These qualities are well known to the inhabitants of the large towns, who willingly pay high prices

for the scanty supply of these delicious fish which they are able to obtain. Of other succulent fish there was a

great variety, from the majestic "grouper," running up to over a hundredweight, down to the familiar

flounder. Very little fishing could be done at night. Just as day was dawning was the ideal time for this

enticing sport. As soon as the first few streaks of delicate light enlivened the dull horizon, a stray nibble or

two gladdened the patient fishermen; then as the light strengthened the fun became general, and in about an

One morning, when a stark calm left, the surface of the bay as smooth as a mirror, I was watching a few

stealthilygliding barracouta sneaking about over the plainly visible bottom, though at a depth of seven or

eight fathoms. Ordinarily, these fish must be taken with a live bait; but, remembering my experience with the

dolphin, I determined to try a carefully arranged strip of fish from one recently caught. In precisely the same

way as the dolphin, these long, snaky rascals carefully tested the bait, lying still for sometimes as long as two

minutes with the bait in their mouths, ready to drop it out on the first intimation that it was not a detached

morsel. After these periods of waiting the artful creature would turn to go, and a sudden jerk of the line then

reminded him that he was no longer a free agent, but mounting at headlong speed to a strange bourne whence

he never returned to tell the tale. My catch that lovely morning scaled over a hundredweight in less than an

The Maories have quite an original way of catching barracouta. They prepare a piece of "rimu" (red pine)

about three inches long, by an inch broad, and a quarter of an inch thick. Through one end of this they drive

an inch nail bent upwards, and filed to a sharp point. The other end is fastened to about a fathom of stout

fishingline, which is in turn secured to the end of a fivefoot pole. Seated in a boat with sail set, they slip

along until a school of barracouta is happened upon. Then the peak of the sail is dropped, so as to deaden the

boat's way, while the fishermen ply their poles with a sidelong sweep that threshes the bit of shining red

through the water, making it irresistibly attractive to a struggling horde of ravenous fish. One by one, as

swiftly as the rod can be wielded, the lithe forms drop off the barbless hook into the boat, till the vigorous

arm can no longer respond to the will of the fisherman, or the vessel will hold no more.

Such were the goodly proportions of this first Solander whale of ours that, in spite of the serious loss of the

case, we made thirteen and a half tuns of oil. When the fifteen huge casks containing it were stowed in their

final positions, they made an imposing show, inspiring all of us with visions of soon being homeward bound.

For the present we were, perforce, idle; for the wind had set in to blow steadily and strongly right up the

Straits, preventing any attempts to get out while it lasted. The time did not hang heavy on our hands, for the

surrounding country offered many attractions, which we were allowed to take full advantage of. Spearing eels

and flounders at night by means of a cresset hung out over the boat's bow, as she was slowly sculled up the

long, shallow creeks, was a favourite form of amusement. Mr. Cross, the resident, kindly allowed us to raid

his garden, where the ripe fruit was rotting by the bushel for want of consumers. We needed no pressing; for

fruit, since we left Vau Vau, of any kind had not come in our way; besides, these were "homey"currants,

gooseberries, strawberriesdelightful to see, smell, and taste. So it came to pass that we had a high old time,

unmarred by a single regrettable incident, until, after an enforced detention of twenty days, we were able to

Halfway down the Straits we sighted the CHANCE, all hands ripping the blubber off a sizeable whale in the

same "anyhow" fashion as they handled their ship. They were in high glee, giving us a rousing cheer as we

passed them on our westward course. Arriving on the ground, we found a goodly company of fine ships,

which I could not help thinking too many for so small an area. During our absence, the TAMERLANE had

been joined by the ELIZA ADAMS, the MATILDA SAYER, the CORAL, and the RAINBOW; and it was

evident that no whale venturing within the radius of the Solander in the daytime would stand much chance of

escaping such a battery of eager eyes. Only three days elapsed after our arrival when whales were seen. For

the first time, I realized how numerous those gigantic denizens of the sea really are. As far as the eye could

reach, extending all round onehalf of the horizon, the sea appeared to be alive with spoutsall sperm

whales, all bulls of great size. The value of this incredible school must have been incalculable. Subsequent

experience satisfied me that such a sight was by no means uncommon here; in fact, "lone whales" or small

Well, we all "waded in," getting, some two, some one whale apiece, according to the ability of the crews or

the fortune of war. Only one fell to our lot in the CACHALOT, but it was just as well. We had hardly, got

him fast by the fluke alongside when it began to pipe up from the northeast. In less than one watch the sea

was fairly smoking with the fierceness of the wind. We were unable to get in anywhere, being, with a whale

alongside, about as handy as a barge loaded with a haystack; while those unfortunate beggars that had two

whales fast to them were utterly helpless as far as independent locomotion went, unless they could run dead

before the wind. Every ship made all snug aloft, and hoisted the boats to the top notch of the cranes, fully

anticipating a long, hard struggle with the elements before they got back to the cruising ground again.

Cuttingin was out of the question in such weather; the only thing possible was to hope for a shift of wind

before she got too far out, or a break in the weather. Neither of these events was probable, as all frequenters

of South New Zealand know, bad weather having there an unhappy knack of being as persistent as fine

Night drew on as our forlorn and heavily handicapped little fleet bore steadily seaward with their burdens, the

angry, ever increasing sea, battering at us vengefully, while the huge carcasses alongside tore and strained at

their fastenings as if they would rend the ships asunder. Slowly our companions faded from sight as the

murky sky shut down on us, until in lonely helplessness we drifted on our weary way out into the vast,

inhospitable Southern Ocean. Throughout the dark and stormy night our brave old ship held on her unwilling

way right gallantly, making no water, in spite of the fearful strain to which she was subjected, nor taking any

heavy sea over all. Morning broke cheerlessly enough. No abatement in the gale or change in its direction;

indeed, it looked like lasting a month. Only one ship was visible far to leeward of us, and she was hull down.

Our whale was beginning to swell rapidly, already floating at least three feet above the surface instead of just

awash, as when newly killed. The skipper eyed it gloomily, seeing the near prospect of its entire loss, but he

said nothing. In fact, very little was said; but the stories we had heard in the Bay of Islands came back to us

Hour after hour went by without any change whatever, except in the whale, which, like some gradually filling

balloon, rose higher and higher, till at nightfall its bulk was appalling. All through the night those on deck did

little else but stare at its increasing size, which when morning dawned again, was so great that the animal's

bilge rode level with the ship's rail, while in her lee rolls it towered above the deck like a mountain. The final

scene with it was now a question of minutes only, so most of us, fascinated by the strange spectacle, watched

and waited. Suddenly, with a roar like the bursting of a darn, the pentup gases tore their furious way out of

the distended carcass, hurling the entrails in one horrible entanglement widespread over the sea. It was well

for us that it was to leeward and a strong gale howling; for even then the unutterable foetor wrought its

poisonous way back through that fierce, pure blast, permeating every nook of the ship with its filthy vapour

till the stoutest stomach there protested in unmistakable terms against such vile treatment. Knowing too well

that the blubber was now worthless, the skipper gave orders to cut the corrupt mass adrift. This was speedily

effected by a few strokes of a spade through the small. Away went eight hundred pounds' worth of

oilanother sacrifice to the exigencies of the Solander, such as had gained for it so evil a reputation.

Doubtless a similar experience had befallen all the other ships, so that the aggregate loss must have run into

thousands of pounds, every penny of which might have been saved had steam been available.

That gale lasted, with a few short lulls, for five days longer. When at last it took off, and was succeeded by

fine weather, we were so far to the southward that we might have fetched the Aucklands in another

twentyfour hours. But, to our great relief, a strong southerly breeze set in, before which, under every rag of

Steady and reliable as ever, that good south wind carried us back to our old cruising ground ere it blew itself

out, and we resumed our usual tactics as if nothing had happened, being none the worse as regards equipment

for our adventures. Not so fortunate our companions, who at the same time as ourselves were thrust out into

the vast Southern Ocean, helplessly burdened and exposed defenceless to all the ferocity of that devouring

gale, Two of them were here prowling about, showing evident signs of their conflict in the battered state of

their hulls. The glaring whiteness of new planking in many places along the bulwarks told an eloquent story

of seas bursting on board carrying all before them, while empty cranes testified to the loss of a boat in both of

them. As soon as we came near enough, "gamming" commenced, for all of us were anxious to know how

As we anticipated, every whale was lost that had been caught that day. The disappointment was in nowise

lessened by the knowledge that, with his usual good fortune Captain Gilroy had not only escaped all the bad

weather, but while we were being threshed within an inch of our lives down in the bitter south, he was calmly

tryingout his whale (which we had seen him with on our outward journey) in the sheltered haven of Port

William. Many and deep were the curses bestowed upon him by the infuriated crews of those two ships,

although he had certainly done them no harm. But the sight of other people's good fortune is gall and

wormwood to a vast number of people, who seem to take it as a personal injury done to themselves.

Only two days elapsed, however, before we again saw an immense school of sperm whales, and each ship

succeeded in securing one. We made no attempt to get more this time, nor do I think either of the others did;

at any rate, one each was the result of the day's work. They were, as usual, of huge size and apparently very

fat. At the time we secured our fish alongside, a fresh northwesterly wind was blowing, the weather being

clear and beautiful as heart could wish. But instead of commencing at once to cutin, Captain Count gave

orders to pile on all sail and keep her away up the Straits. He was evidently determined to take no more

chances, but, whenever opportunity offered, to follow the example set by the wily old skipper of the

CHANCE. The other ships both started to cutin at once, tempted, doubtless, by the settled appearance of the

weather, and also perhaps from their hardly concealed dislike of going into port. We bowled along at a fine

rate, towing our prize, that plunged and rolled by our side in eccentric style, almost as if still alive. Along

about midnight we reached Saddle Point, where there was some shelter from the sea which rolled up the wide

Leaving me and a couple of Kanakas on watch, the captain, and all hands besides, went below for a little

sleep. My instructions were to call the captain if the weather got at all uglylooking, so that we might run in

to Port William at once, but he did not wish to do so if our present position proved sufficiently sheltered. He

had not been below an hour before there was a change for the worse. That greasy, filmy haze was again

drawn over the clear blue of the sky, and the light scud began to fly overhead at an alarmingly rapid rate. So

at four bells I called him again. He came on deck at once, and after one look round ordered the hands up to

man the windlass. By eight bells (four a.m.) we were rounding the frowning rocks at the entrance of Port

William, and threading our way between the closelyset, kelp hidden dangers as if it were broadest, dearest

daylight. At 4.30 we let go the anchor again, and all hands, except the regular "anchorwatch," bolted below

It was very comfortable, cuttingin a sperm whale in harbour, after the dire difficulty of performing the same

operation in a seaway. And, although it may seem strange, this was the first occasion that voyage that I had

had a really good opportunity of closely studying the whale's anatomy. Consequently the work was

exceedingly interesting, and, in spite of the labour involved, I was almost sorry when the job was done.

Under the present favourable circumstances we were ready to cut the carcass adrift shortly after midday, the

head, of course, having been taken off first. Just after we started to cutin a boat appeared alongside with six

Maories and halfbreeds on board. Their leader came up and civilly asked the skipper whether he intended

doing anything with the carcass. Upon being promptly answered in the negative, he said that he and his

companions proposed hooking on to the great mass when we cut it adrift, towing it ashore, and getting out of

it what oil we had been unable to extract, which at sea is always lost to the ship. He also suggested that he

would be prepared to take reasonable terms for such oil, which we should be able to mingle with ours to our

advantage. An arrangement was speedily arrived at to give him L20 per tun for whatever oil he made. They

parted on the best of terms with each other, and as soon as we cut the carcass loose the Maories made fast, to

it, speedily beaching it in a convenient spot near where they had previously erected a most primitive

That afternoon, after the head was inboard, the skipper thought he would go ashore and see how they were

getting on. I was so fortunate as to be able to accompany him. When we arrived at the spot, we found them

working as I have never seen men work, except perhaps the small riggers that at home take a jobthree or

four of themto bend or unbend a big ship's sails for a lump sum to be paid when the work is done. They

attacked the carcass furiously, as if they had a personal enmity against it, chopping through the massive bones

and rending off huge lumps of the flesh with marvellous speed. They had already laid open the enormous

cavity of the abdomen, and were stripping the interminable intestines of their rich coating of fat. In the maw

there were, besides a large quantity of dismembered squid of great size, a number of fish, such as rockcod,

barracouta, schnapper, and the like, whose presence there was a revelation to me. How in the name of wonder

so huge and unwieldy a creature as the cachalot could manage to catch those nimble members of the finny

tribe, I could not for the life of me divine! Unlessand after much cogitation it was the only feasible

explanation that I could see as the cachalot swims about with his lower jaw hanging down in its normal

position, and his huge gullet gaping like some submarine cavern, the fish unwittingly glide down it, to find

egress impossible. This may or may not be the case; but I, at any rate, can find no more reasonable theory, for

it is manifestly absurd to suppose the whale capable of CATCHING fish in the ordinary sense, indicating

Every part of the animal yielded oil. Even the bones, broken up into pieces capable of entering the pot, were

boiled; and by the time we had finished our tryingout, the result of the Maories' labour was ready for us.

Less than a week had sufficed to yield them a net sum of six guineas each, even at the very low rate for which

they sold us the oil. Except that it was a little darker in colour, a defect that would disappear when mixed with

our store, there was no difference between the products that could be readily detected. And at the price we

paid for it, there was a clear profit of cent. per cent., even had we kept it separate and sold it for what it was.

But I suppose it was worth the Maories' while thus to dispose of it and quickly realize their hard earnings.

So far, our last excursion had been entirely satisfactory. We had not suffered any loss or endured any

hardship; and if only such comfortable proceedings were more frequent, the Solander ground would not have

any terrors for us at least. But one afternoon there crept in around the eastern horn of the harbour three forlorn

and halfdismantled vessels, whose weatherworn crews looked wistfully at us engaged in clearing up decks

and putting away gear upon the finishing of our tryingout. Poor fellows! they had seen rough times since

that unforgettable evening when we parted from them at the other end of the island, and watched them slowly

fade into the night. Two of them were so badly damaged that no further fishing was possible for them until

they had undergone a thorough refit, such as they could not manage there. One was leaking badly, the

tremendous strain put upon her hull in the vain attempt to hold on to the two whales she had during the gale

having racked her almost all to pieces. The third one was still capable of taking the ground again, with sundry

repairs such as could be effected by her crew. But the general feeling among all three crews was that there

was more loss than gain to be expected here, in spite of the multitude of whales visiting the place.

As if to fill up their cup, in came the old CHANCE again, this time with a whale on each side. Captain Gilroy

was on the house aft, his chubby red face in a ruddy glow of delight, and his crew exuberant. When he passed

the American ships, as he was bound to do very closely, the sight of their scowling faces seemed to afford

him the most exquisite amusement, and he laughed loud and long. His crew, on the impulse of the moment,

sprang to the rail and cheered with might and main. No one could gainsay that they had good reason, but I

really feared for a time that we should have "ructions," As Paddy said, it was not wise or dignified for those

officers to be so angry with him on account of his success, which he frankly owned was due almost entirely

to the local knowledge he possessed, gained in many years' study of the immediate neighbourhood. He

declared that, as far as the technical duties of whalefishing went, all the Americans could beat him hollow;

but they ought to realize that something else was needed here which no man could hope to have unless he

were content to remain on the coast altogether. With which words of wisdom our skipper cordially agreed,

The strong breeze which brought Paddy and his whales home died down that night, enabling us to start for

the grounds againa concession gratefully received, for not the least of the hindrances felt there was the

liability to be "windbound" for a long time, while fine weather was prevailing at the fishing grounds.

We made a fine passage down the Straits with a leading wind, finding our two late companions still cruising,

having managed to get their whales aboard without mishap, and being somewhat inclined to chaff our old

man for running in. He gave a wink full of wisdom, as he replied, "I'm pretty ole whale myself naouw; but I

guess I ain't too old to learn; 'n wut I learn I'm goin' ter use. See?" Of course the fine weather did not last

longit never does; and seeing the gloomy masses of violetedged cumuli piling up on the southern

horizon, we hugged the Solander Rock itself pretty close, nor ventured far to seaward. Our two consorts, on

the contrary, kept well out and on the northern verge, as if they intended the next gale that blew to get north,

IF they could. The old man's object in thus keeping in was solely in order that he might be able to run for

shelter; but, much to his delight and certainly surprise, as we passed about a mile to the southward of the

lonely, towering crags of the great rock, there came from aloft the welcome cry of "Sperm whale!"

There was only one, and he was uncomfortably near the rock; but such a splendid chance was not to be

missed, if our previous training was of any avail. There was some speculation as to what he could be doing so

close inshore, contrary to the habit of this animal, who seems to be only comfortable when in deep waters;

but except a suggestion that perhaps he had come in to scrape off an extra accumulation of barnacles, nobody

could arrive at any definite conclusion. When we reached him, we found a frightful blind swell rolling, and it

needed all our seamanship to handle the boats so that they should not be capsized. Fortunately, the huge

rollers did not break, or we should hardly have got back safely, whale or no whale.

Two irons were planted in him, of which he took not the slightest notice. We had taken in sail before closing

in to him on account of the swell, so that we had only to go in and finish him at once, if he would let us.

Accordingly, we went in with a will, but for all sign of life he showed he might as well have been stuffed.

There be lay, lazily spouting, the blood pouring, or rather spirting, from his numerous wounds, allowing us to

add to their number at our pleasure, and never moving his vast body, which was gently swayed by the rolling

sea. Seeing him thus quiescent, the mate sent the other two boats back to the ship with the good news, which

the captain received with a grave smile of content, proceeding at once to bring the ship as near as might be

consistent with her safety. We were now thoroughly sheltered from sight of the other ships by the enormous

Finding that it was not wise to take the ship in any closer, while we were yet some distance from our prize, a

boat was sent to Mr. Cruce with the instructions that he was to run his line from the whale back to the ship, if

the creature was dead. He (the mate) replied that the whale died as quietly as he had taken his wounds, and

immediately started for the ship. When he had paid out all his line, another boat bent on, until we got the end

on board. Then we merrily walked him up alongside, while sufficient sail was kept drawing to prevent her

being set in any nearer. When he was fast, we crowded on all canvas to get away; for although the sea was

deep close up to the cliff, that swell was a very ugly feature, and one which has been responsible for the loss

of a great number of ships in such places all over the world. Notwithstanding all our efforts, we did get so

near that every detail of the rock was clearly visible to the naked eye, and we had some anxious minutes

while the old ship, rolling tremendously, crawled inch after inch along the awful side of that seaencircled

At one point there was quite a cave, the floor of which would be some twenty feet above highwater mark,

and its roof about the same distance higher. It appeared to penetrate some distance into the bowels of the

mountain, and was wide and roomy. Sea birds in great numbers hovered around its entrance, finding it, no

doubt, an ideal nestingplace. It appeared quite inaccessible, for even with a perfect calm the swell dashed

against the perpendicular face of the cliff beneath with a force that would have instantly destroyed any vessel

Slowly, slowly we forged past the danger; but the moment we opened out the extremity of the island, a fresh

breeze, like a saving hand, swept across the bows, filling the headsails and swinging the old vessel away

from the island in grand style. Another minute, and the other sails filled also. We were safe, all hands

Now the wind hung far round to the eastwardfar enough to frustrate any design we might have had of

going up the Straits again. The old man, however, was too deeply impressed with the paramount necessity of

shelter to lightly give up the idea of getting in somewhere; so he pointed her for Preservation Inlet, which was

only some thirty miles under her lee. We crowded all sail upon her in the endeavour to get in before nightfall,

this unusual proceeding bringing our two friends up from to leeward with a run to see what we were after.

Burdened as we were, they sailed nearly two knots to our one, and consequently intercepted us some while

before we neared our port. Great was their surprise to find we had a whale, and very anxious their queries as

to where the rest of the school had gone. Reassured that they had lost nothing by not being nearer, it being a

With all our efforts, evening was fast closing in when we entered the majestic portals of Preservation Inlet,

New Zealand is preeminently a country of grand harbours; but I think those that are least used easily hear

the palm for grandeur of scenery and facility of access. The wonderful harbour, or rather series of harbours,

into which we were now entering for the first time, greatly resembled in appearance a Norwegian fjord, not

only in the character of its scenery, but from the interesting, if disconcerting, fact that the cliffs were so

steepto that in some places no anchorage is found alongside the very land itself. There are, however, many

places where the best possible anchorage can be obtained, so securely sheltered that a howling southwester

may be tearing the sea up by the roots outside, and you will know nothing of it within, except what may be

surmised from the motion of the clouds overhead. It was an ideal place for a whaling station, being right on

We found it exceedingly convenient, and much nearer than Port William, but, from the prevailing winds,

difficult of access in nine cases out of ten, especially when hampered with a whale. Upon cuttingin our

latest catch, an easy explanation of his passive attitude was at once forthcoming. He had been attacked by

some whaleship, whose irons had drawn, leaving deep traces of their presence; but during the battle he had

received SEVEN bombs, all of which had entered around his small, but had not exploded. Their general

effect had been, I should think, to paralyze the great muscles of his flukes, rendering him unable to travel; yet

this could not have taken place until some time after he had made good his escape from those aggressors. It

was instructive, as demonstrating what amount of injury these colossi really can survive, and I have no doubt

that, if he had been left alone, he would have recovered his normal energy, and been as well as ever. From

our point of view, of course, what had happened was the best possible thing, for he came almost as a

At the close of our operations the welcome news was made public that four more fish like the present one

would fill us bungup, and that we should then, after a brief visit to the Bluff, start direct for home. This

announcement, though expected for some time past, gave an amazing fillip to everybody's interest in the

work. The strange spectacle was witnessed of all hands being anxious to quit a snug harbour for the sea,

where stern, hard wrestling with the elements was the rule. The captain, well pleased with the eagerness

manifested, had his boat manned for a trip to the entrance of the harbour, to see what the weather was like

outside, since it was not possible to judge from where the ship lay. On his return, he reported the weather

rough, but moderating, and announced his intention of weighing at daylight next morning. Satisfied that our

days in the southern hemisphere were numbered, and all anxiety to point her head for home, this news was

most pleasing, putting all of us in the best of humours, and provoking quite an entertainment of song and

During the grey of dawn the anchor was weighed. There was no breath of wind from any quarter, so that it

was necessary to lower boats and tow the old girl out to her field of duty. Before she was fairly clear of the

harbour, though, there came a "snifter" from the hills that caught her unprepared, making her reel again, and

giving us a desperate few minutes to scramble on board and hoist our boats up. As we drew out from the land,

we found that a moderate gale was blowing, but the sky was clear, fathomless blue, the sun rose kindly, a

heavenly dream of soft delicate colour preceding him; so that, in spite of the strong breeze, all looked

promising for a good campaign. At first no sign could be seen of any of the other ships, though we looked

long and eagerly for them. At last we saw them, four in all, nearly hull down to seaward, but evidently

coming in under press of sail. So slow, however, was their approach that we had made one "leg" across the

ground and halfway back before they were near enough for us to descry the reason of their want of speed.

They had each got a whale alongside, and were carrying every rag of canvas they could spread, in order to get

Our old acquaintance, the CHANCE, was there, the three others being her former competitors, except those

who were disabled, still lying in Port William. Slowly, painfully they laboured along, until well within the

mouth of the Straits, when, without any warning, the wind which had been bringing them in suddenly flew

round into the northward, putting them at once in a most perilous position. Too far within the Straits to "up

helm" and run for it out to sea; not far enough to get anywhere that an anchor might hold; and there to

leeward, within less than a dozen miles, loomed grim and gloomy one of the most terrific rockbound coasts

in the world. The shift of wind had placed the CHANCE farther to leeward than all the rest, a good mile and a

half nearer the shore; and we could well imagine how anxiously her movements were being watched by the

others, who, in spite of their jealousy of his good luck, knew well and appreciated fully Paddy's marvellous

Having no whale to hamper our movements, besides being well to windward of them all, we were perfectly

comfortable as long as we kept to seaward of a certain line and the gale was not too fierce, so for the present

all our attention was concentrated upon the labouring ships to leeward. The intervention of the land to

windward kept the sea from rising to the awful height it attains under the pressure of a westerly, or a

southwesterly gale, when, gathering momentum over an area extending right round the globe, it hurls itself

upon those rugged shores. Still, it was bad enough. The fact of the gale striking across the regular set of the

swell and current had the effect of making the sea irregular, short, and broken, which state of things is

considered worse, as far as handling the ship goes, than a much heavier, longer, but more regular succession

As the devoted craft drifted helplessly down upon that frowning barrier, our excitement grew intense. Their

inability to do anything but drift was only too well known by experience to every one of us, nor would it be

possible for them to escape at all if they persisted in holding on much longer. And it was easy to see why they

did so. While Paddy held on so far to leeward of them, and consequently in so much more imminent danger

than they were, it would be derogatory in the highest degree to their reputation for seamanship and courage

were they to slip and run before he did. He, however, showed no sign of doing so, although they all neared,

with an accelerated drift, that point from whence no seamanship could deliver them, and where death

inevitable, cruel, awaited them without hope of escape. The part of the coast upon which they were

apparently driving was about as dangerous and impracticable as any in the world. A gigantic barrier of black,

naked rock, extending for several hundred yards, rose sheer from the sea beneath, like the side of an ironclad,

up to a height of seven or eight hundred feet. No outlying spurs of submerged fragments broke the

immeasurable landward rush of the majestic waves towards the frowning face of this worldfragment. Fresh

from their source, with all the impetus accumulated in their thousandmile journey, they came apparently

irresistible. Against this perpendicular barrier they hurled themselves with a shock that vibrated far inland,

and a roar that rose in a dominating diapason over the continuous thunder of the tempest riven sea. High as

was the summit of the cliff, the spray, hurled upwards by the tremendous impact, rose higher, so that the

whole front of the great rock was veiled in filmy wreaths of foam, hiding its solidity from the seaward view.

At either end of this vast, rampart nothing could be seen but a waste of breakers seething, hissing, like the

foot of Niagara, and effectually concealing the CHEVAUX DE FRISE of rocks which produced such a

Towards this dreadful spot, then, the four vessels were being resistlessly driven, every moment seeing their

chances of escape lessening to vanishingpoint. Suddenly, as if panicstricken, the ship nearest to the

CHANCE gave a great sweep round on to the other tack, a few fluttering gleams aloft showing that even in

that storm they were daring to set some sail. What the manoeuvre meant we knew very wellthey had cut

adrift from their whale, terrified at last beyond endurance into the belief that Paddy was going to sacrifice

himself and his crew in the attempt to lure them with him to inevitable destruction. The other two did not

hesitate longer. The example once set, they immediately followed; but it was for some time doubtful in the

extreme whether their resolve was not taken too late to save them from destruction. We watched them with

breathless interest, unable for a long time to satisfy ourselves that they were out of danger. But at last we saw

them shortening sail againa sure sign that they considered themselves, while the wind held in the same

quarter, safe from going ashore at any rate, although there was still before them the prospect of a long

Meanwhile, what of the daring Irishman and his old barrel of a ship? The fugitives once safe off the land, all

our interest centred in the CHANCE. We watched her until she drew in so closely to the seething cauldron of

breakers that it was only occasionally we could distinguish her outline; and the weather was becoming so

thick and dirty, the light so bad, that we were reluctantly compelled to lose sight of her, although the skipper

believed that he saw her in the midst of the turmoil of broken water at the western end of the mighty mass of

perpendicular cliff before described. Happily for us, the wind veered to the westward, releasing us from the

prospect of another enforced visit to the wild regions south of the island. It blew harder than ever; but being

now a fair wind up the Straits, we fled before it, anchoring again in Port William before midnight. Here we

were compelled to remain for a week; for after the gale blew itself out, the wind still hung in the same

But on the second day of our enforced detention a ship poked her jibboom round the west end of the little

bay. No words could describe our condition of spellbound astonishment when she roundedto, cumbrously as

befitting a ship towing a whale, and revealed to us the wellremembered outlines of the old CHANCE. It was

like welcoming the firstfruits of the resurrection; for who among sailor men, having seen a vessel disappear

from their sight, as we had, under such terrible conditions, would ever have expected to see her again? She

was hardly anchored before our skipper was alongside, thirsting to satisfy his unbounded curiosity as to the

unheardof means whereby she had escaped such apparently inevitable destruction. I was fortunate enough to

It appeared that none of the white men on board, except the redoubtable Paddy himself, had ever been placed

in so seemingly hopeless and desperate a position before. Yet when they saw how calm and free from anxiety

their commander was, how cool and businesslike the attitude of all their dusky shipmates, their confidence

in his ability and resourcefulness kept its usual high level. It must be admitted that the test such feelings were

then subjected to was of the severest, for to their eyes no possible avenue of escape was open. Along that

glaring line of raging, foaming water not a break occurred, not the faintest indication of an opening anywhere

wherein even so experienced a pilot as Paddy might thrust a ship. The great black wall of rock loomed up by

their side, grim and pitiless as dooma very door of adamant closed against all hope. Nearer and nearer they

drew, until the roar of the baffled Pacific was deafening, maddening, in its overwhelming volume of chaotic

sound. All hands stood motionless, with eyes fixed in horrible fascination upon the indescribable vortex to

At last, just as the fringes of the backbeaten billows hissed up to greet them, they felt her motion ease.

Instinctively looking aft, they saw the skipper coolly wave his hand, signing to them to trim the yards. As

they hauled on the weather braces, she plunged through the maelstrom of breakers, and before they had got

the yards right round they were on the other side of that enormous barrier, the anchor was dropped, and all

was still. The vessel rested, like a bird on her nest, in a deep, still tarn, shut in, to all appearance, on every

side by huge rock barriers. Of the furious storm but a moment before howling and raging all around them,

nothing remained but an allpervading, thunderous hum, causing the deck to vibrate beneath them, and high

overhead the jagged, leaden remnants of twisted, tortured cloud whirling past their tiny oblong of sky. Just a

minute's suspension of all faculties but wonder, then, in one spontaneous, heartfelt note of genuine

admiration, all hands burst into a cheer that even overtopped the mighty rumble of the baffled sea.

Here they lay, perfectly secure, and cut in their whale as if in dock; then at the first opportunity they ran out,

with fearful difficulty, a kedge with a whaleline attached, by which means they warped the vessel out of her

hidingplacea far more arduous operation than getting in had been. But even this did not exhaust the

wonders of that occasion. They had hardly got way upon her, beginning to draw out from the land, when the

eagleeye of one of the Maories detected the carcass of a whale rolling among the breakers about half a mile

to the westward. Immediately a boat was lowered, a double allowance of line put into her, and off they went

to the valuable flotsam. Dangerous in the highest degree was the task of getting near enough to drive

harpoons into the body; but it was successfully accomplished, the line run on board, and the prize hauled

triumphantly alongside. This was the whale they had now brought in. We shrewdly suspected that it must

have been one of those abandoned by the unfortunate vessels who had fled, but etiquette forbade us saying

anything about it. Even had it been, another day would have seen it valueless to any one, for it was by no

means otto of roses to sniff at now, while they had certainly salved it at the peril of their lives.

When we returned on board and repeated the story, great was the amazement. Such a feat of seamanship was

almost beyond belief; but we were shut up to believing, since in no other way could the vessel's miraculous

escape be accounted for. The little, dumpy, redfaced figure, rigged like any scarecrow, that now stood on his

cuttingstage, punching away vigorously at the fetid mass of blubber beneath him, bore no outward visible

sign of a hero about him; but in our eyes he was transfigureda being to be thought of reverently, as one

who in all those dualities that go to the making of a man had proved himself of the seed royal, a king of men,

all the more kingly because unconscious that his deeds were of so exalted an order.

I am afraid that, to a landsman, my panegyric may smack strongly of gush, for no one but a seaman can

rightly appraise such doings as these; but I may be permitted to say that, when I think of men whom I feel

glad to have lived to know, foremost among them rises the queer little figure of Paddy Gilroy.

The wind still holding steadily in the old quarter, our skipper got very restless. He recalled his former

exploits, and, firing at the thought, decided then and there to have a trip round to Port Pegasus, in the hope

that he might meet with some of his former good luck in the vicinity of that magnificent bay. With the

greatest alacrity we obeyed his summons, handling the old barky as if she were a small boat, and the same

morning, for the first time, ran out of the Straits to the eastward past Ruapuke Island. Beautiful weather

prevailed, making our trip a delightful one, the wonderful scenery of that coast appealing to even the most

callous or indifferent among us. We hugged the land closely, the skipper being familiar with all of it in a

general way, so that none of its beauties were lost to us. The breeze holding good, by nightfall we had

reached our destination, anchoring in the north arm near a tumbling cascade of glittering water that looked

like a long feather laid on the darkgreen slope of the steep hill from which it gushed.

We had not been long at anchor before we had visitorshalfbreed Maories, who, like the Finns and

Canadians, are farmers, fishermen, sailors, and shipwrights, as necessity arises. They brought us

potatoesmost welcome of all fruit to the sailor cabbages, onions, and "mutton birds." This latter delicacy

is a great staple of their flesh food, but is one of the strangest dishes imaginable. When it is being cooked in

the usual way, i.e. by grilling, it smells exactly like a piece of roasting mutton; but it tastes, to my mind, like

nothing else in the world so much as a kippered herring. There is a gastronomical paradox, if you like. Only

the young birds are taken for eating. They are found, when unfledged, in holes of the rocks, and weigh

sometimes treble as much as their parents. They are exceedingly fat; but this substance is nearly all removed

from their bodies before they are hung up in the smokehouses. They are split open like a haddock, and

carefully smoked, after being steeped in brine. Baskets, something like exaggerated strawberry pottles of the

old conical shape, are prepared, to hold each about a dozen birds. They are lined with leaves, then packed

with the birds, the melted fat being run into all the interstices until the basket is full. The top is then neatly

tied up with more leaves, and, thus preserved, the contents will keep in cool weather an indefinite length of

Captain Count was soon recognized by some of his old friends, who were delighted to welcome him again.

Their faces fell, however, when he told them that his stay was to be very brief, and that he only required four

goodsized fish to fill up. Inquiry as to the prevalence of sperm whales in the vicinity elicited the news that

they were as plentiful as they had ever beenif anything, more so, since the visits of the whalers had

become fewer. There were a couple of "bay" whaling stations existing; but, of course, their success could not

be expected to be great among the cachalots, who usually keep a respectful distance from harbours, while

No one could help being struck by the manly hearing, splendid physique, and simple manners of the

inhabitants. If ever it falls to the lot of any one, as I hope it will, to establish a sperm whale fishery in these

regions, there need be no lack of workers while such grand specimens of manhood abound there as we

We did not go far afield, but hovered within ten or fifteen miles of the various entrances, so as not to be

blown off the land in case of sudden bad weather. Even with that timid offing, we were only there two days,

when an enormous school of sperm whales hove in sight. I dare not say how many I believe there were, and

my estimate really might be biassed; but this I know, that in no given direction could one look to seaward and

We got among them and had a good time, being more hampered by the curiosity of the unattached fish than

by the pugnacity of those under our immediate attention. So we killed three, and by preconcerted signal

warned the watchers on the lofty points ashore of our success. As speedily as possible off came four boats

from the shore stations, and hooked on to two of our fish, while we were busy with the third. The wind being

off shore, what there was of it, no time was to be lost, in view of the wellknown untrustworthiness of the

weather; so we started to cutin at once, while the shore people worked like giants to tow the other two in.

Considering the weakness of their forces, they made marvellous progress; but seeing how terribly exhausting

the toil was, one could not help wishing them one of the small London tugs, familiarly known as "jackals,"

However, all went well; the usual gale did blow but not till we had got the last piece aboard and a good

"slant" to run in, arriving at our previous moorings at midnight. In the morning the skipper went down in his

boat to visit the stations, and see how they had fared. Old hand as he was, I think he was astonished to see

what progress those fellows had made with the fish. They did not reach the stations till after midnight, but

already they had the whales half flenched, and, by the way they were working, it looked as if they would be

through with their task as soon as we were with ours. Their agreement with the skipper was to yield us half

the oil they made, and, if agreeable to them, we would take their moiety at L40 per tun. Consequently they

had something to work for, even though there were twenty of them to share the spoil. They were a merry

party, eminently good tempered, and working as though one spirit animated them all. If there was a leader of

the band, he did his office with great subtilty, for all seemed equal, nor did any appear to need directing what

to do. Fired by their example, we all worked our hardest; but they beat us by half a day, mainly, I think, by

dint of working nearly all the time with scarce any interval for sleep. True, they were bound to take advantage

of low water when their huge prize was high and dryto get at him easily all round. Their method was of the

simplest. With gaffhooks to haul back the pieces, and shorthandled spades for cutting, they worked in

pairs, taking off square slabs of blubber about a hundredweight each. As soon as a piece was cut off, the pair

tackled on to it, dragging it up to the pots, where the cooks hastily sliced it for boiling, interspersing their

Their efforts realized twentyfour tuns of clear oil and spermaceti, of which, according to bargain, we took

twelve, the captain buying the other twelve for L480, as previously arranged. This latter portion, however,

was his private venture, and not on ship's account, as he proposed selling it at the Bluff, when we should call

there on our way home. So that we were still two whales short of our quantity. What a little space it did seem

to fill up! Our patience was sorely tested, when, during a whole week following our last haul, we were unable

to put to sea. In vain we tried all the old amusements of fishing, rambling, bathing, etc.; they had lost their

"bite;" we wanted to get home. At last the longedfor shift of wind came and set us free. We had hardly got

well clear of the heads before we saw a school of cachalots away on the horizon, some twelve miles off the

land to the southward. We made all possible sail in chase, but found, to our dismay, that they were "making a

passage," going at such a rate that unless the wind freshened we could hardly hope to come up with them.

Fortunately, we had all day before us, having quitted our moorings soon after daylight; and unless some

unforeseen occurrence prevented us from keeping up our rate of speed, the chances were that some time

before dark they would ease up and allow us to approach them. They were heading to the westward, perhaps

somewhat to the northward withal, to all appearance making for the Solander. Hour after hour crawled by,

while we still seemed to preserve our relative distance, until we had skirted the southern shore of the island

and entered the area, of our old fishing ground. Two vessels were cruising thereon, well to the northward, and

we thought with glee of the excitement that would seize them did they but gain an inkling of our chase.

To our great delight, what we had hoped, but hardly dared expect, came to pass. The school, as if with one

impulse, hauled up on their course four points, which made them head direct for the western verge of the

Solander ground, andwhat was more important to usmade our coming up with them a matter of a short

time. We made the customary signals with the upper sails to our friends to the northward, who recognized

them immediately, and bore down towards us. Not only had the school shifted their course, but they had

slackened speed; so that by four o'clock we were able to lower for them at less than a mile distance.

It was an ideal whaling daysmooth water, a brisk breeze, a brilliant sun, and plenty of whales. I was, as

became my position, in the rear when we went into action, and hardly hoped for an opportunity of doing

much but dance attendance upon my seniors. But fortune favoured me. Before I had any idea whether the

chief was fast or not, all other considerations were driven clean out of my head by the unexpected apparition

of a colossal head, not a ship's length away, coming straight for us, throwing up a swell in front of him like an

ironclad. There was barely time to sheer to one side, when the giant surged past us in a roar of foaming sea,

the flying flakes of which went right over us. Samuela was "all there," though, and as the great beast passed

he plunged a harpoon into him with such force and vigour that the very socket entered the blubber it needed

all the strength I could muster, even with such an aid as the nineteen feet steeroar, to swing the boat right

For, contrary to the usual practice, he paused not an instant, but rather quickened his pace, as if spurred.

Heavens, how he went! The mast and sail had to come downand they did, but I hardly know how. The

spray was blinding, coming in sheets over the bows, so that I could hardly see how to steer in the monster's

wake. He headed straight for the ship, which layto almost motionless, filling me with apprehension lest he

should in his blind flight dash that immense mass of solid matter into her broadside, and so put an inglorious

end to all our hopes. What their feelings on board must have been, I can only imagine, when they saw the

undeviating rush of the gigantic creature straight for them. On he went, until I held my breath for the crash,

when at the last moment, and within a few feet of the ship's side, he dived, passing beneath the vessel. We let

go line immediately, as may be supposed; but although we had been towing with quite fifty fathoms drift, our

speed had been so great that we came up against the old ship with a crash that very nearly finished us. He did

not run any further just then, but sounded for about two hundred and fifty fathoms, rising to the surface in

quite another mood. No more running away from him. I cannot say I felt any of the fierce joy of battle at the

prospect before me. I had a profound respect for the fighting qualities of the sperm whale, and, to tell the

truth, would much rather have run twenty miles behind him than have him turn to bay in his present parlous

humour. It was, perhaps, fortunate for me that there was a crowd of witnesses, the other ships being now

quite near enough to see all that was going on, since the feeling that my doings were full in view of many

experts and veterans gave me a determination that I would not disgrace either myself or my ship; besides, I

felt that this would probably be our last whale this voyage, if I did not fail, and that was no small thing to

All these things, so tedious in the telling, flashed through my mind, while, with my eyes glued to the huge

bulk of my antagonist or the hissing vortices above him when he settled, I manoeuvred my pretty craft with

all the skill I could summon. For what seemed a period of about twenty minutes we dodged him as he made

the ugliest rushes at us. I had not yet changed ends with Samuela, as customary, for I felt it imperative to

keep the helm while this game was being played. My trusty Kanaka, however, had a lance ready, and I knew,

if he only got the ghost of a chance, no man living would or could make better use of it.

The whole affair was growing monotonous as well as extremely wearying. Perhaps I was a little off my

guard; at any rate, my heart almost leaped into my mouth when just after an ugly rush past us, which I

thought had carried him to a safe distance, he stopped dead, lifted his flukes, and brought them down

edgeways with a vicious sweep that only just missed the boat's gunwale and shore off the two oars on that

side as if they had been carrots. This serious disablement would certainly have led to disaster but for

Samuela. Prompt and vigorous, he seized the opportune moment when the whale's side was presented just

after the blow, sending his lance quivering home all its length into the most vital part of the leviathan's

anatomy. Turning his happy face to me, he shouted exultingly, "How's dat fer high?"a bit of slang he had

picked up, and his use of which never failed to make me smile. "High" it was indeeda masterstroke. It

must have pierced the creature's heart, for he immediately began to spout blood in masses, and without

Then came the reaction. I must have exerted myself beyond what I had any idea of, for to Samuela I was

obliged to delegate the, task of flukeboring, while I rested a little. The ship was soon alongside, though, and

the whale secured. There was more yet to be done before we could rest, in spite of our fatigue. The other

boats had been so successful that they had got two big fish, and what we were to do with them was a problem

not easily solvable. By dint of great exertion, we managed to get another whale alongside, but were fain to

come to some arrangement with the ELIZA ADAMS, one of the ships that had been unsuccessful, to take

over our other whale on an agreement to render us onethird of the product either in Port William or at home,

Behold us, then, in the gathering dusk with a whale an either side, every stitch of canvas we could show set

and drawing, straining every nerve to get into the little port again, with the pleasant thought that we were

bringing with us all that was needed to complete our wellearned cargo. Nobody wanted to go below; all

hands felt that it was rest enough to hang over the rail on either side and watch the black masses as they

surged through the gleaming sea. They represented so much to us. Very little was said, but all hearts were

filled with a deep content, a sense of a long season of toil fitly crowned with complete success; nor was any

depression felt at the long, long stretch of stormy ocean between us and our home port far away in the United

States. That would doubtless come byandby, when within less than a thousand miles of New Bedford; but

at present all sense of distance from home was lost in the overmastering thought that soon it would be our

only business to get there as quickly as possible, without any avoidable loitering on the road.

We made an amazing disturbance in the darkness of the sea with our double burthen, so much so that one of

the coasting steamers changed her course a bit to range up by our side in curiosity. We were scarcely going

two and a half knots, in spite of the row we made, and there was hardly room for wonder at the steamboat

captain's hail, "Want any assistance?" "No, thank you," was promptly returned, although there was little

doubt that all hands would have subscribed towards a tow into port, in case the treacherous weather should,

after all, play us a dirty trick. But it looked as if our troubles were over. No hitch occurred in our steady

progress, slow though it necessarily was, and as morning lifted the heavy veil from the face of the land, we

arrived at our pretty little haven, and quietly came to an anchor. The CHANCE was in port windbound,

looking, like ourselves, pretty low in the water. No sooner did Paddy hear the news of our arrival in such fine

trim than he lowered his boat and hurried on board of us, his face beaming with delight. Long and loud were

his congratulations, especially when be heard that we should now be full. Moreover, he offerednor would

For the next four days and nights, during which the wind prevented the CHANCE from leaving us, our old

ship was a scene of wild revelry, that ceased not through the twentyfour hours revelry entirely unassisted

by strong waters, too, the natural ebullient gaiety of men who were free from anxiety on any account

whatever, rejoicing over the glad consummation of more than two years toil, on the one hand; on the other, a

splendid sympathy in joy manifested by the satisfied crew under the genial command of Captain Gilroy. With

their cheerful help we made wonderful progress; and when at last the wind hauled into a favourable quarter,

and they were compelled to leave us, the back of our work was broken, only the tedious task of boiling being

Never, I am sure, did two ships' companies part with more hearty goodwill than ours. As the ungainly old

tub surged slowly out of the little harbour, her wornout and generally usedup appearance would have given

a Board of Trade Inspector the nightmare; the piratical looks of her crowd were enough to frighten a shipload

of passengers into fits; but to us who had seen their performances in all weathers, and under all

circumstances, accidental externals had no weight in biassing our high opinion of them all. Goodbye, old

ship; farewell, jolly captain and sturdy crew; you will never be forgotten any more by us while life lasts, and

in far other and more conventional scenes we shall regretfully remember the freeandeasy time we shared

By dint of steady hard work we managed to get the last of our greasy work done in four days more, then

faced with a will the job of stowing afresh the upper tiers of casks, in view of our long journey home. The oil

bought by the skipper on private venture was left on deck, secured to the lashrail, for discharging at the

Bluff, while our stock of watercasks were carefully overhauled and recoopered prior to being stowed in

their places below. Of course, we had plenty of room in the hold, since no ship would carry herself full of

casks of oil; but I doubt whether, if we had borne a "Plimsoll's mark," it would not have been totally

submerged, so deep did we lie. Wooding and watering came nexta different affair to our casual exercises

in those directions before. Provision had to be made now for a possible four or five months' passage, during

which we hoped to avoid any further calls, so that the accumulation of firewood alone was no small matter.

We cleared the surrounding neighbourhood of potatoes at a good price, those useful tubers being all they

Then came the most unpleasant part of the whole businessfor me. It had been a part of the agreement made

with the Kanakas that they were not to be taken home with us, but returned to their island upon the

termination of the whaling. Now, the time had arrived when we were to part, and I must confess that I felt

very sorry to leave them. They had proved docile, useful, and cheerful; while as for my harpooner and his

mate Polly, no man could have wished for smarter, better, or more faithful helpers than they were. Strong as

their desire was to return to their homes, they too felt keenly the parting with us; for although they had

unavoidably suffered much from the inclemency of the weatherso different from anything they had ever

previously experiencedthey had been kindly treated, and had moved on precisely the same footing as the

rest of the crew. They wept like little children when the time arrived for them to leave us, declaring that if

ever we came to their island again they would use all their endeavours to compel us to remain, assuring us

that we should want for nothing during the rest of our lives, if we would but take up our abode with them.

The one exception to all this cordiality was Sam. His ideas were running in quite other channels. To regain

his lost status as ruler of the island, with all the opportunities for indulging his animal propensities which

such a position gave him, was the problem he had set himself, and to the realization of these wishes he had

Thus he firmly declined the offer of a passage back in the ELIZA ADAMS, which our captain secured for all

the Kanakas; preferring to be landed at the Bluff, with the goodly sum of money to which he was entitled,

saying that he had important business to transact in Sydney before he returned. This business, he privately

informed me, was the procuring of arms and ammunition wherewith to make war upon his rival. Of course

we could not prevent him, although it did seem an abominable thing to let loose the spirit of slaughter among

those lighthearted natives just to satisfy the ambition of an unscrupulous negro. But, as I have before

noticed, from information received many years after I learned that he had been successful in his efforts,

So our dusky friends left us, with a good word from every one, and went on board the ELIZA ADAMS,

whose captain promised to land them at Futuna, within six months. How he carried out his promise, I do not

And now the cruise of the good old whaling barque CACHALOT, as far as whaling is concerned, comes to

an end. For all practical purposes she becomes a humdrum merchantman in haste to reach her final port of

discharge, and get rid of her cargo. No more will she loiter and pry around anything and everything, from an

island to a balk of driftwood, that comes in her way, knowing not the meaning of "waste of time." The

"crow'snests" are dismantled, taut topgallantmasts sent up, and royal yards crossed. As soon as we get to

sea we shall turnto and heave that ancient fabric of bricks and mortaralways a queerlooking erection to

be cumbering a ship's deckpiecemeal over the side. It has long been shaky and weatherbeaten; it will

soon obstruct our movements no more. Our rigging has all been set up and tarred down; we have painted hull

and spars, and scraped wherever the woodwork is kept bright. All gear belonging to whaling has been taken

out of the boats, carefully cleaned, oiled, and stowed away for a "full due." Two of the boats have been taken

inboard, and stowed bottomup upon the gallows aft, as any other merchantman carries them. At last, our

It was quite in accordance with the fitness of things that, when all things were now ready for our departure,

there should come a change of wind that threatened to hold us prisoners for some days longer. But our "old

man" was hard to beat, and he reckoned that, if we could only get out of the "pond," he would work her

across to the Bluff somehow or other. So we ran out a kedge with a couple of lines to it, and warped her out

of the weather side of the harbour, finding, when at last we got her clear, that she would lay her course across

the Straits to clear Ruapukenearly; but the current had to be reckoned with. Before we reached that

obstructing island we were down at the eastern end of it, and obliged to anchor promptly to save ourselves

But the skipper was quite equal to the occasion. Ordering his boat, he sped away into Bluff harbour, only a

matter of six or seven miles, returning soon with a tug, who for a pound or two placed us, without further

trouble, alongside the wharf, amongst some magnificent clipper ships of Messrs. Henderson's and the New

Zealand Shipping Co.'s, who seemed to turn up their splendid noses at the squat, dumpy, antiquated old

servingmallet that dared to mingle with so august a crowd. There had been a time, not so very far back,

when I should have shared their apparent contempt for our homely old tub; but my voyage had taught me,

among other things, that, as far as true comfort went at sea, not a "threeskysailyarder" among them could

compare with the CACHALOT. And I was extremely glad that my passage round the Horn was to be in my

own ship, and not in a long, snaky tank that, in the language of the sailor, takes a header when she gets

outside the harbour, and only comes up two or three times to blow before she gets home.

Our only reason for visiting this place being to discharge Captain Count's oil, and procure a seastock of salt

provisions and hard bread, these duties were taken in hand at once. The skipper sold his venture of oil to good

advantage, being so pleased with his success that he gave us all a good feed on the strength of it.

As soon as the stores were embarked and everything ready for sea, leave was given to all hands for

twentyfour hours, upon the distinct understanding that the privilege was not to be abused, to the detriment

of everybody, who, as might be supposed, were anxious to start for home. In order that there might be less

temptation to go on the spree generally, a grand picnic was organized to a beautiful valley some distance

from the town. Carriages were chartered, an enormous quantity of eatables and drinkables provided, and

away we went, a regular wayzgoose or beanfeast party. It was such a huge success, that I have ever since

wondered why such outings cannot become usual among sailors on liberty abroad, instead of the senseless,

vicious waste of health, time, and hardearned wages which is general. But I must not let myself loose upon

Liberty over without any trouble arising, and all hands comfortably on board again, the news ran round that

we were to sail in the morning. So, after a good night's rest, we cast loose from the wharf, and, with a little

assistance from the same useful tug that brought us in, got fairly out to sea. All sail was set to a strong, steady

northwester, and with yards canted the least bit in the world on the port tack, so that every stitch was

drawing, we began our long easterly stretch to the Horn, homeward bound at last.

Favoured by wind and weather, we made an average run of one hundred and eighty miles per day for many

days, paying no attention to "great circle sailing," since in such a slow ship the net gain to be secured by

going to a high latitude was very small, but dodging comfortably along on about the parallel of 48deg. S.,

until it became necessary to draw down towards "Cape Stiff," as that dreaded extremity of South America,

Cape Horn, is familiarly called by seamen. As we did so, icebergs became numerous, at one time over

seventy being in sight at once. Some of them were of immense sizeone, indeed, that could hardly be fitly

described as an iceberg, but more properly an icefield, with many bergs rising out of it, being over sixty

miles long, while some of its towering peaks were estimated at from five hundred to one thousand feet high.

Happily, the weather kept clear; for icebergs and fog make a combination truly appalling to the sailor,

Needless, perhaps, to say, our lookout was of the best, for all hands had a double interest in the safety of the

ship. Perhaps it may be thought that any man would have so much regard for the safety of his life that he

would not think of sleeping on his lookout; but I can assure my readers that, strange as it may seem, such is

not the case, I have known men who could never be trusted not to go to sleep, no matter how great the

danger. This is so well recognized in merchant ships that nearly every officer acts as if there was no lookout

at all forward, in case his supposed watchman should be having a surreptitious doze.

Stronger and stronger blew the brave west wind; dirtier, gloomier, and colder grew the weather, until,

reduced to two topsails and a reefed foresail, we were scudding dead before the gale for all we were worth.

This was a novel experience for us in the CACHALOT, and I was curious to see how she would behave. To

my mind, the supreme test of a ship's seakindliness is the length of time she will scud before a gale without

"pooping" a sea, or taking such heavy water on board over her sides as to do serious damage. Some ships are

very dangerous to run at all. Endeavouring to make the best use of the gale which is blowing in the right

direction, the captain "hangs on" to all the sail he can carry, until she ships a mighty mass of water over all,

so that the decks are filled with wreckage, or, worse still, "poops" a sea. The latter experience is a terrible

one, even to a trained seaman. You are running before the wind and waves, sometimes deep in the valley

between two liquid mountains, sometimes high on the rolling ridge of one. You watch anxiously the speed of

the sea, trying to decide whether it or you are going the faster, when suddenly there seems to be a hush,

almost a lull, in the uproar. You look astern, and see a wall of water rising majestically higher and higher, at

the same time drawing nearer and nearer. Instinctively you clutch at something firm, and hold your breath.

Then that mighty green barrier leans forward, the ship's stern seems to settle at the same time, and, with a

thundering noise as of an avalanche descending, it overwhelms you. Of course the ship's way is deadened;

she seems like a living thing overburdened, yet struggling to be free; and well it is for all hands if the

helmsman be able to keep his post and his wits about him. For if he be hurt, or have fled from the terrible

wave, it is an even chance that she "broaches to;" that is to say, swings round broadside on to the next great

wave that follows relentlessly its predecessor. Then, helpless and vulnerable, she will most probably be

smashed up and founder. Many a good ship has gone with all hands to the bottom just as simply as that.

In order to avoid such a catastrophe, the proper procedure is to "heaveto" before the sea has attained so

dangerous a height; but even a landsman can understand bow reluctant a shipmaster may be to lie like a log

just drifting, while a more seaworthy ship is flying along at the rate of, perhaps, three hundred miles a day in

the desired direction. Ships of the CACHALOT's bluff build are peculiarly liable to delays of this kind from

their slowness, which, if allied to want of buoyancy, makes it necessary to heaveto in good time, if safety is

To my great astonishment and delight, however, our grand old vessel nobly sustained her character, running

on without shipping any heavy water, although sometimes hedged in on either side by gigantic waves that

seemed to tower as high as her lowermast heads. Again and again we were caught up and passed by the

splendid homewardbound colonial packets, some of them carrying an appalling press of canvas, under

which the long, snaky hulls, often overwhelmed by the foaming seas, were hardly visible, so insignificant did

So we fared eastward and ever southward, until in due time up rose the gloomy, stormscarred crags of the

Diego Ramirez rocks, grim outposts of the New World. To us, though, they bore no terrific aspect; for were

they not the turningpoint from which we could steer north, our head pointed for home? Immediately upon

rounding them we hauled up four points, and, with daily improving weather climbed the southern slopes

Very humdrum and quiet the life appeared to all of us, and had it not been for the saving routine of work by

day, and watch by night, kept up with all our old discipline, the tedium would have been insupportable after

the incessant excitement of expectation to which we had so long been accustomed. Still, our passage was by

no means a bad one for a slow ship, being favoured by more than ordinarily steadfast winds until we reached

the zone of the southeast trades again, where the usual mild, settled wind and lovely weather awaited us. On

and on, unhasting but unresting, we stolidly jogged, by great good fortune slipping across the

"doldrums"that hateful belt of calms about the line so much detested by all sailormenwithout losing

Not one day of calm delayed us, the northeast trades meeting us like a friend sent to extend a welcoming

hand and lend us his assistance on our homeward way. They hung so far to the eastward, toosometimes

actually at eastbynorththat we were able to steer north on the starboard tacka slice of luck not usually

met with. This "slant" put all hands in the best of humours, and already the date of our arrival was settled by

the more sanguine ones, as well as excellent plans made for spending the long voyage's earnings.

For my part, having been, in spite of my youth, accustomed to so many cruel disappointments and slips

between the cup and lip, I was afraid to dwell too hopefully upon the pleasures (?) of getting ashore. And

after the incident which I have now to record occurred, I felt more nervous distrust than I had ever felt before

at sea since first I began to experience the many vicissitudes of a sailor's life.

We had reached the northern verge of the tropics in a very short time, owing to the favourable cant in the

usual direction of the northeast trades before noted, and had been met with north westerly winds and thick,

dirty weather, which was somewhat unusual in so low a latitude. Our lookouts redoubled their vigilance,

one being posted on each bow always at night, and relieved every hour, as we were so well manned. We were

now on the port tack, of course, heading about northeastbynorth, and right in the track of outwardhound

vessels from both the United Kingdom and the States. One morning, about three a.m.that fateful time in

the middle watch when more collisions occur than at any othersuddenly out of the darkness a huge ship

seemed to leap right at us. She must have come up in a squall, of which there were many about, at the rate of

some twelve knots an hour, having a fair wind, and every rag of sail set. Not a gleam of light was visible

anywhere on board of her, and, to judge from all appearances, the only man awake on board was the

We, being "on the wind, closehauled," were bound by the "rule of the road at sea" to keep our course when

meeting a ship running free. The penalty for doing ANYTHING under such circumstances is a severe one.

First of all, you do not KNOW that the other ship's crew are asleep or negligent, even though they carry no

lights; for, by a truly infernal parsimony, many vessels actually do not carry oil enough to keep their lamps

burning all the voyage, and must therefore economize in this unspeakably dangerous fashion. And it may be

that just as you alter your course, daring no longer to hold on, and, as you have every reason to believe, be

run down, the other man alters his. Then a few breathless moments ensue, an awful crash, and the two vessels

tear each other to pieces, spilling the life that they contain over the hungry sea. Even if you escape, YOU are

to blame for not keeping your course, unless it can be proved that you were not seen by the running ship.

Well, we kept our course until, I verily believe, another plunge would have cut us sheer in two halves. At the

last moment our helm was put hard down, bringing our vessel right up into the wind at the same moment as

the helmsman on board the other vessel caught sight of us, and instinctively put his helm down too. The two

vessels swung side by side amidst a thunderous roar of flapping canvas, crackling of fallen spars, and rending

of wood as the shrouds tore away the bulwarks. All our davits were ripped from the starboard side, and most

of our bulwarks too; but, strangely enough, we lost no spars nor any important gear. There seemed to be a

good deal of damage done on board the stranger, where, in addition, all hands were at their wits' end. Well

they might be, aroused from so criminal a sleep as theirs. Fortunately, the third mate had powerful bull'seye

lantern, which in his watch on deck he always kept lighted. Turning it on the stern of the delinquent vessel as

she slowly forged clear of us, we easily read her name, which, for shame's sake as well as for prudential

reasons, I withhold. She was a London ship, and a pretty fine time of it I had for the next day or two, listening

Repairing damages kept us busy for a few days; but whatever of thankfulness we were capable of feeling was

aroused by this hairbreadth escape from death through the wicked neglect of the most elementary duty of any

Then a period of regular Westernocean weather set in. It was early spring in the third year since our

departure from this part of the world, and the northeaster blew with bitter severity, making even the

seasoned old captain wince again; but, as he jovially said, "it smelt homey, n' HE warn't agoin' ter growl at

thet." Neither were any of us, although we could have done with less of a sharp edge to it all the same.

Steadily we battled northward, until at last, with full hearts, me made Cape Navesink ("Ole Neversunk"), and

on the next day took a tug and towed into New Bedford with every flag we could scare up flying, the centre

of admirationa full whaleship safe back from her long, long fishing round the world.

My pleasant talk is done. I wish from my heart it were better performed; but, having done my best, I must

perforce be content. If in some small measure I have been able to make you, my friendly reader, acquainted

with a littleknown or appreciated side of life, and in any wise made that life a real matter to you, giving you

a fresh interest in the toilers of the sea, my work has not been wholly in vain. And with that fond hope I give