s, I agree with the whalers in believing that there is
much variation both of habits and shape between them.

But to return to the fight. The first inkling I got of what was really
going on was the leaping of a killer high into the air by the side of
the whale, and descending upon the victim's broad, smooth back with a
resounding crash. I saw that the killer was provided with a pair of
huge fins--one on his back, the other on his belly--which at first sight
looked as if they were also weapons of offence. A little observation
convinced me that they were fins only. Again and again the aggressor
leaped into the air, falling each time on the whale's back, as if to
beat him into submission.

The sea around foamed and boiled like a cauldron, so that it was only
occasional glimpses I was able to catch of the two killers, until
presently the worried whale lifted his head clear out of the surrounding
smother, revealing the two furies hanging--one on either side--to his
lips, as if endeavouring to drag his mouth open--which I afterwards saw
was their principal object, as whenever during the tumult I caught sight
of them, they were still in the same position. At last the tremendous
and incessant blows, dealt by the most active member of the trio, seemed
actually to have exhausted the immense vitality of the great bowhead,
for he lay supine upon the surface. Then the three joined their forces,
and succeeded in dragging open his cavernous mouth, into which they
freely entered, devouring his tongue. This, then, had been their sole
object, for as soon as they had finished their barbarous feast they
departed, leaving him helpless and dying to fall an easy prey to our
returning boats.

Thus, although the four whales captured by the boats had been but small,
the day's take, augmented by so great a find, was a large one, and it
was a long time before we got clear of the work it entailed.

From that time forward we saw no whales for six weeks, and, from the
reports we received from two whalers we "gammed," it appeared that we
might consider ourselves most fortunate in our catch, since they, who
had been longer on the ground than ourselves, had only one whale apiece.

In consequence of this information, Captain Slocum decided to go south
again, and resume the sperm whaling in the North Pacific, near the
line--at least so the rumour ran; but as we never heard anything
definitely, we could not feel at all certain of our next destination.