ng the tortuous and difficult waters
of the Indian Archipelago. No whales of any kind were seen for at least
a month, although, from our leisurely mode of sailing, it was evident
that they were looked for.

An occasional native craft came alongside, desirous of bartering fish,
which we did not want, being able to catch all we needed as readily
almost as they were. Fruit and vegetables we could not get at such
distances from land, for the small canoes that lie in wait for passing
ships do not of course venture far from home.

CHAPTER XIII. OFF TO THE JAPAN GROUNDS

Very tedious and trying was our passage northward, although every effort
was made by the skipper to expedite it. Nothing of advantage to our
cargo was seen for a long time, which, although apparently what was
to be expected, did not improve Captain Slocum's temper. But, to the
surprise of all, when we had arrived off the beautiful island of Hong
Kong, to which we approached closely, we "raised" a grand sperm whale.

Many fishing-junks were in sight, busily plying their trade, and at any
other time we should have been much interested in the quaint and cunning
devices by which the patient, wily Chinaman succeeds so admirably as
a fisherman. Our own fishing, for the time being, absorbed all our
attention--the more, perhaps, that we had for so long been unable to do
anything in that line. After the usual preliminaries, we were successful
in getting fast to the great creature, who immediately showed fight. So
skilful and wary did he prove that Captain Slocum, growing impatient at
our manoeuvring with no result, himself took the field, arriving on
the scene with the air of one who comes to see and conquer without more
delay. He brought with him a weapon which I have not hitherto mentioned,
because none of the harpooners could be induced to use it, and
consequently it had not been much in evidence. Theoretically, it was as
ideal tool for such work, its chief drawback being its cumbrousness. It
was known as "Pierce's darting gun," being a combination of bomb-gun and
harpoon, capable of being darted at the whale like a plain harpoon. Its
construction was simple; indeed, the patent was a very old one. A tube
of brass, thickening towards the butt, at which was a square chamber
firmly welded to a socket for receiving the pole, formed the gun itself.
Within the chamber aforesaid a nipple protruded from the base of the
tube, and in line with it. The trigger was s