J. J. Bell

“ They must have again altered their course under water, for when they came up, blowing off their exhaust breath that drifted a while like silvery mist over the blue sea, they were between the steamer and the pram, moving in the direction of the latter. They swam very leisurely, taking brief, shallow submersions every other minute. Nils told himself that Bjarnison would have small difficulty in securing his third finhval. He swung the flagpole aloft, and the gunner waved his hand in response, pointed to the leading whale, and extended his arms to indicate that it was a large one. ”

“ Grasping the shaft, the skipper and one of the crew essayed with all their might to drive the six feet of iron into the white, grooved belly that quaked alongside. The rusty metal, entering a little way, bent and snapped. Then it was that Bjarnison recollected having left his other and newer lances at the station to be sharpened. By nature a careful, methodical man, he was annoyed with himself. He had now no means of marking the whales so that they should be sighted from a distance, and although the sea was calm, and the air clear, he did not care about risking the two carcasses as they were. ”

“ Hopeless to attempt the voyage in the frail pram; he must stand by the carcasses, which would catch the eyes of whalemen long before a small solitary boat could do so. Besides, as he realized, the whales meant food. At the same time, he knew he would endure hunger until absolutely compelled to eat. For drink, a world of ice gleamed within a mile of him. The weather looked like remaining fine; yet no man can tell what an hour may bring forth along the shores of the Greenland ice, where bitter winds and sodden, blinding fogs swoop from the north with scarce a warning of their approach. ”

“ The brisk rumble and thump of the propeller would have told any occupant of the little cabin that the Ulv was already being driven at top speed; but with a couple of whales alongside she was making but five knots.
Now the fin-whaler is one of the swiftest of whales, besides being the most easily scared. So Bjarnison set about casting the two carcasses adrift, preparatory to securing a third. It was a weighty job, but each man on board knew his share and performed it smartly. Before parting from the carcasses the skipper proceeded to flag them. ”

“ Men moving hurriedly on the deck, the lookout gesticulating frantically from the crow's-nest, the skipper leaping upon the platform, swinging the gun to port as far as it would go, firing it, and flinging up his arms in an abandon of despair. And next Nils beheld the finhval, instead of diving, heave out of a welter of foam and ram the Ulv amidships. ”

“ Zoölogists put the limit of this rorqual's length at seventy feet. Nils, the whaleman, judged this particular finhval to be longer than the Ulv, which would mean over ninety feet. Excitement, however, is a strong magnifier.
Nils had come to the conclusion that, for once, at any rate, his skipper had made a very poor shot, and would certainly require to try another—the gun was then being reloaded—when the victim suddenly ceased to fight and turned upon his side. Whereupon the Ulv began to steam slowly ahead, while the winch absorbed the slackening line. ”

“ They were not large sharks, their lengths ranging from eight to twelve feet, and they were supreme cowards. Had he fallen among them, they would probably have retired to what they considered a safe distance until the last of life was out of him.
The hours passed with dreadful slowness. At least once in every hour he hoisted his flagstaff, holding it upright until his muscles ached. He made several vain attempts to support it by mechanical means. At meal times he cast to the clamoring sea-birds small scraps of blubber, which floated on the water and were too trifling for the sharks to notice. ”

“ He. is a good navigator, and I promise you that he will soon be a good gunner.”
“Sigurd Lund may take your place when the time comes. That is not yet.” Herlof got up and looked out of the office window. “Thorgrim has coaled, and is now at the pier.” He turned, holding out his hand. “Things here are not bright. Bring me whales, my good Svendsen.” ”