ur old cruising ground ere it blew itself out, and we resumed our usual
tactics as if nothing had happened, being none the worse as regards
equipment for our adventures. Not so fortunate our companions, who at
the same time as ourselves were thrust out into the vast Southern Ocean,
helplessly burdened and exposed defenceless to all the ferocity of that
devouring gale, Two of them were here prowling about, showing evident
signs of their conflict in the battered state of their hulls. The
glaring whiteness of new planking in many places along the bulwarks told
an eloquent story of seas bursting on board carrying all before them,
while empty cranes testified to the loss of a boat in both of them. As
soon as we came near enough, "gamming" commenced, for all of us were
anxious to know how each other had fared.

As we anticipated, every whale was lost that had been caught that day.
The disappointment was in nowise lessened by the knowledge that, with
his usual good fortune Captain Gilroy had not only escaped all the bad
weather, but while we were being threshed within an inch of our lives
down in the bitter south, he was calmly trying-out his whale (which we
had seen him with on our outward journey) in the sheltered haven of
Port William. Many and deep were the curses bestowed upon him by the
infuriated crews of those two ships, although he had certainly done
them no harm. But the sight of other people's good fortune is gall and
wormwood to a vast number of people, who seem to take it as a personal
injury done to themselves.

Only two days elapsed, however, before we again saw an immense school
of sperm whales, and each ship succeeded in securing one. We made no
attempt to get more this time, nor do I think either of the others did;
at any rate, one each was the result of the day's work. They were, as
usual, of huge size and apparently very fat. At the time we secured our
fish alongside, a fresh north-westerly wind was blowing, the weather
being clear and beautiful as heart could wish. But instead of commencing
at once to cut-in, Captain Count gave orders to pile on all sail and
keep her away up the Straits. He was evidently determined to take no
more chances, but, whenever opportunity offered, to follow the example
set by the wily old skipper of the CHANCE. The other ships both started
to cut-in at once, tempted, doubtless, by the settled appearance of the
weather, and also perhaps from their hardly concealed dislike of going