One big shark, the most persistent of the school, had sunk his teeth in the whale’s side and, although half out of water, was tearing away at the blubber and paying not the slightest attention to the pieces of old iron which the sailors were showering upon him. When the harpoon was rigged and the line made fast, Andersen climbed out upon the rope-pan in front of the gun and jammed the iron into the shark’s back. Even then the brute waited to snatch one more mouthful before it slid off the carcass into the water. It struggled but little and seemed more interested in returning to its meal than in freeing itself from the harpoon, but two boat hooks were jabbed into its gills and it was hauled along the ship’s side until it could be pulled on deck. This was no easy task, for it must have weighed at least two hundred pounds and began a tremendous lashing with its tail when the crew hauled away. “_Ya-ra-cu-ra-sa_,” sang the sailors, each time giving a heave as the word “_sa_” was uttered, and the shark was soon flapping and pounding about on deck. The seamen prodded it with boat hooks and belaying pins and I must confess that I had little sympathy for the brute when the blood poured out of its mouth and gills, turning the snow-white breast to crimson. I paced its length as it lay on the deck, taking good care to miss the thrashing tail and the vicious snaps of its crescent-shaped jaws. It measured just twelve feet and, although a big one, was by no means the largest of the school. [Illustration: Making the sei whale fast to the bow of the ship. ] When the whale had been finally made fast and the ship started, the shark, now half dead, was pushed over the side. It had not gone ten feet astern before the others of the pack were tearing away at their unfortunate brother with as great good will as they had attacked our whale. Andersen and I went below to an excellent tiffin, for which I had a better appetite than at breakfast, as the sea had subsided. The course was set for the station to get coal and water for the next day’s run, but we could not be in before seven or eight o’clock. The gunner lay down in the cabin for a short nap, and after lighting my pipe I went “top sides” to the bridge. I had been there not more than ten minutes, when “puf-f-f” went a sei whale about two hundred fathoms away on the starboard beam. [Illustration: A sei whale swimming directly away from the ship. The nostrils or blowholes are widely expanded and greatly protruded. ] The air pumps were still at work inflating the carcass alongside, and the gun had not yet been loaded. Captain Andersen ran forward with the powder charge sewed up in its neat little sack of cheesecloth; and after the Bo’s’n had rammed it home, wadded the gun, and inserted the harpoon, we were ready for work. The vessel had been taking a long circle about the whale, which was blowing every few seconds, and now we headed straight for it.