WHALE HUNTING IN THE SEYCHELLE ISLANDS
WHALE HUNTING IN THE SEYCHELLE ISLANDS
The Seychelles are a group of islands lying off the cast coast of Africa, between Madagascar and the mouth of the Red Sea. These islands are not often visited, for they lie close to the Equator, and are out of the great trade routes. Many years ago the Seychelles were very important, as they were the headquarters of the whale ships. At certain seasons of the year the great sperm whale loves to swim in the warm seas on the outer edge of these islands, and consquently numbers of ships collect intent upon its capture.
A few years ago an American whaler put into the Seychelles for wood and water. While there she had a series of exciting adventures which I am sure you would like to hear about. When the ship had anchored a chief came out from the shore in his canoe and had a long talk with the captain. The chief declared that the vessel lay in a dangerous position, as a hurricane was coming up; so the captain with the help of scores of canoes manned by sturdy natives, who practically towed the ship along, went farther up the harbor into a sheltered cove.
In the afternoon a bank of dark clouds appeared on the horizon, and in a few hours, just as the chief had predicted a terrific hurricane was raging. The captain realized that if his ship had stayed where she had been, she would have been cast ashore and wrecked. Late the next day the hurricane blew itself out and the sun shone once more.
The captain sent for the chief, thanked him for his timely warning, and asked what he could do in return.
The chief promply replied, "Kill a whale for us, and we shall have food and oil for many moons."
Next day the ship sailed out accompanied by hundreds of canoes. The sea was still rough after the hurricane, but not a canoe was upset. The captain knew that whales do not like hurricanes any more than men, and that they come in for shelter between the islands where the water is calmer.
It was not long before the lookout at the mast head yelled "There she blows, whale on the starboard bow!"
Instantly all was excitement. The crew rapidly tumbled into their boats and in a few minutes they were clear of the davits.
The whale-boat is a very buoyant craft. It is double-ended so that it can be uged either forward or backward. The crew consists of four rowers, an officer who steers, and a harpooner who stands in the bow. The harpoon is a barbed headed instrument, and when it enters the whale's side it cannot be drawn out. To the harpoon is attached several thousand feet of strong line. This line is coiled in barrels and is placed in the bottom of the boat. The
