The night was anything but a dreamless one to me and in the morning when I heard the sudden roar of the harpoon-gun and felt the vessel tremble under the shock I started up hardly knowing whether I was awake or not. But the rattling winch and the thumping of the line made certain that it was no dream. [Illustration: The whale is made fast to the bow by a heavy chain and the ship starts on the long tow to the station. ] Catching up camera and plate holders, I scrambled through the companionway, forgetting in my haste that I was without coat or shoes. Sure enough, we were fast to a humpback which was visible about one hundred fathoms away, swimming high out of water and blowing frequently. When I reached the bridge, the Mate, who was at the wheel, said: “Yes, he came up suddenly right under the bow; but you’ll have plenty of chances today if the wind keeps down. Look at those birds; there must be lots of feed.” I was shivering in the raw morning air and ran back to the cabin to get into a coat and shoes. I found Captain Grahame about to come on deck. He laughed when he saw my scanty dress, saying: “You camera fellows would rather run the risk of catching your death of cold than miss a picture, wouldn’t you!” I assured him, through chattering teeth, that pneumonia had no terrors when whales were in sight, but made haste to pull on my heavy varsity sweater and high boots. Sorenson was leisurely reloading the gun when I went forward and the humpback, blowing every few seconds, could be seen far ahead. When the bomb had been filled with powder and the fuse string adjusted, the Engineer started the winch and the line was reeled slowly in. The animal resisted in a half-hearted way at first, but soon gave up and was drawn close to the ship. I stood just back of the harpoon platform, with camera focused, waiting to see Sorenson whirl the gun about for the second shot, but instead of doing so he called for the lance and made ready to kill the whale from the bow. Leaning far out over the side, the Gunner watched his opportunity and plunged the slender rod of steel deep into the lungs, stabbing again and again with all his strength. The animal gave a hoarse, coughing blow and tried to dive, the blood welling in great red bubbles from his spout holes. It was a pitiful sight as the poor brute fought gamely for life with the odds all against him, and I turned away with a sigh of relief when he rolled over and sank to the bottom. While the whale was being lifted to the surface and inflated, I breakfasted with the Captain in the little galley, doing justice to Billy’s excellent porridge and coffee. In half an hour we went to the bridge to relieve the mate, and found the vessel headed to the eastward where a number of spouts were just visible far over toward the shore. With the glasses we could see that they were finbacks, and the thin columns of vapor shooting up every few seconds indicated that the animals must be feeding.