The success of the morning and the prospects of a good day’s hunting had put every man on board in the best of humor. Captain Grahame paced back and forth beside me, telling of his experiences while cruising in Australian waters and describing wild nights at sea as only a deep-water sailor can, meanwhile watching the whales ahead. In half an hour we were near them, and the vessel was swung toward two finbacks which were separated from the rest of the school and were swimming side by side. As they dived we could see that one was very small, a calf; the larger was probably its mother. The engines were at dead slow and the little steamer slipped quietly through the water in a long circle about the “slick” where the whales went down. In a low voice Captain Grahame called to the Gunner, telling him to shoot the big one first, and at almost the same instant I saw the telltale patch of smooth water just in front of the bow. [Illustration: “Sorenson hesitated, swung the gun a little to one side and fired. The great cloud of smoke blown backward in our faces shut out the water ahead, but in a few moments it lifted and I was surprised to see the whale lying on its side at the surface, apparently dead.” ] [Illustration: Bringing in a finback. The harpoon rope is being cut from the iron in the whale. ] I shouted to Sorenson and jumped to the starboard side where, by leaning far out, I could see the swirling green spot in the mirror of my camera. With a rush the mother whale came to the surface, followed a second later by her calf. Sorenson hesitated, swung the gun a little to one side and fired. The great cloud of smoke blown backward in our faces shut out the water ahead, but in a few moments it lifted and I was surprised to see the whale lying on its side at the surface, apparently dead. It was the first time I had ever seen a finback float, although I had been told that occasionally they did not sink when killed. While the animal was being secured and the air pump started, I climbed to the barrel to watch the movements of the calf. The little fellow refused to leave his dead mother and circled around and around the boat within easy gunshot. Although he was swimming low in the water, showing only a small part of his back above the surface, I exposed a plate each time he came near, until the stock of negatives had been exhausted. [Illustration: A finback lying in the water at Aikawa just before it is “cut in.” ] In a short time Sorenson had the gun reloaded and stood ready for a shot at the calf when next he came within range. From the masthead I could look far down into the clear water and once saw the little finback rising almost under the vessel. I shouted a warning to the men below and as he reached the surface the harpoon crashed into his side, going almost through him. [Illustration: Drawing up a finback at Aikawa, Japan. ]