The Blue Whale 259
‘ “ Fast,” yelled the cook, brandishing a kettle of potatoes in one hand. Crimson
flecks of blood floating on the emerald sea alone told of the success of the shot.
When the crew had seen all they wished there was a lull of silence. The Captain
heaved a sigh, the sigh of one who obtains relief after some tense and long-drawn
strain. Nothing was heard except the flop, flop of the line as it rolled slowly
out, and the movements of the men' as they ran quietly to their posts beside the
steam-winch and the line-coil down below.
‘ “ Was that a death shot?” Tasked the Captain.
1 “ Don’t know, sir," he answered, “ I think it run a bit. The bomb did not
burst! ”
‘ It was so, The line at first slowly dribbled||ut and then it began to go
faster and faster until it rushed from the bow at such a speed that I thought it
would catch fire.
‘ “ He’s going to travel now,” said Nilsen, pulling me away from the smoking
ropd “ You must not stand there; if the rope breaks you might get killed.”
‘We repaired to the bridge to get a better view.
‘ “ Two lines gone now (about five hundred yards),” said my companion. “ I fear
I hit him too far back.”
' At this moment all eyes were riveted on a great commotion in the sea about
five hundred yards away. The next instant the Whale appeared, rolling and fighting
on the surface. It lashed" the sea into white spume with its flippers and
raised its head frequently right out of the water, opening its immense jaws. The
Leviathan of the Deep was fighting hard with death, but the harpoon had penetrated
its vitals and its struggles only lasted about two minutes. Soon it grew
weaker and weaker until, casting forth a thin spout of red blood, it threw up its
tail and sank in one mighty swirl.
‘ The first operation in raising the dead Whale from the bottom is to take in
the slack line. ThisfclS done by one man mounting the rigging and placing the
rope over a strong running pulley, which receives play by means of a powerful
spring or heavy lead concealed in the hold of the ship® A t first all is easy, and
then the line receives a tremendous strain as it: lifts the carcase from the
depths. . . . .
‘ The winch is set in motion, and with each rise of the ship we noticed the
“ giv e” of the line and the utility of the spring which prevents the strain being
either sudden or excessive.
I For half an hour the powerful steam reel goes pounding on until the finer line