The finback whale reaches a length of about seventy-five feet. The left side of the throat is dark slate while the right side is pure white. ] The whale now began a series of dashes and deep sounds which dragged the lines from the winch in spite of both brakes and kept the little vessel dodging from side to side to avoid his blind rushes. For an hour and a half the magnificent animal carried on the fight, although slowly becoming weaker and weaker from exhaustion and the loss of blood. Finally he lay almost motionless on the surface about fifty fathoms away, blowing frequently, great patches of blood staining the foam about his beautiful gray body. After waiting fifteen or twenty minutes the Captain ordered a boat lowered and Sorenson, with two sailors, rowed out to finish the whale with the long killing lance. I had climbed to the barrel at the masthead, glass and camera slung at my side, and was watching the little pram as it neared the dying finback. After circling around the animal the boat was slowly backed toward it, the Gunner standing erect in the stern with lance ready, awaiting his opportunity. Suddenly he leaned forward and thrust the steel with all his strength deep into the whale’s side. At the same instant the boat was pulled away, and the beast sank in a mass of red foam. A few seconds later he reappeared, sending from the blowhole a thin stream of blood which floated off on the wind. Again and again Sorenson lanced him, each time remaining a little longer and jabbing the lance deeper into his body. At last the gallant animal threw his fin into the air, rolled on his side, and sank, the taut lines proclaiming that the fight was ended. I had hardly climbed down the rope ladder to the deck when Sorenson’s face, flecked with blood and streaming with perspiration, appeared over the side. Laying the long lance on deck, he said: [Illustration: “I had climbed to the barrel at the masthead ... and was watching the little pram as it neared the dying finback. After circling around the animal the boat was slowly backed toward it, the Gunner standing erect in the stern with lance ready, awaiting his opportunity. Suddenly he leaned forward and thrust the steel with all his strength deep into the whale’s side.” ] “That was the toughest whale I ever killed. Not many fight like that.” I was surprised to find, on looking at my watch, that it was already nine o’clock, the struggle having lasted nearly four hours. The excitement of the day had been intense and I was too tired to remain on deck while the big finback was made fast to the bow, and the floating whale picked up. Saying good night to Captain Grahame, I went below, climbed into the narrow bunk in the little cabin, and was asleep even before the noise above had ceased. [Illustration: Marked with a flag and left to float until the end of the day’s hunt. ]