t on the headland; the boats again put off and
tow it ashore to the trying-out works. The killers, though they haye had
their fill of blubber, accompany the boats to the head of the bay and
keep off the sharks, which would otherwise strip off all the remaining
blubber from the carcase before it had reached the shore. But once the
boats are in the shallow water, the killers stop, and then with a final
'puff! puff!' of farewell to their human friends, turn and head seaward
to resume their ceaseless watch and patrol of the ocean.

"The killers never hurt a man. Time after time haye boats been stove in
or smashed into splinters by a whale, either by an accidental blow from
his head or a sudden lateral sweep of his monstrous flukes, and the
crew left struggling in the water or clinging to the oars and pieces of
wreckage; and the killers have swum up to, looked at, and smelt them,
but never have they touched a man with intent to do him harm. And
wherever the killers are, the sharks are not, for Jack Shark dreads a
killer as the devil is said to dread holy water. Sometimes I have
seen 'Jack' make a rush in between the killers, and rip off a piece of
hanging blubber, but he will carefully watch his chance to do so."

* * * * *

One of the most experienced whaling masters of New Bedford, with whom
the writer once cruised from the Gilbert Islands to Tap in the Western
Carolines, told him that on one occasion when he was coming from the
shore to his ship, which was lying to off the Chatham Islands, the boat
was followed by a pack of five killers. They swam within touch of the
oars, much to the amusement of the crew, and presently several of what
are called "right whale" porpoises made their appearance, racing along
ahead of the boat, whereupon Captain Allen went for'ard and picked up
a harpoon, for the flesh of this rare variety of porpoise is highly
prized. The moment he struck the fish it set off at a great rate, but
not quick enough to escape the killers, for though the porpoise was
much the swifter fish (were it loose), the weight of the boat and fifty
fathoms of line was a heavy handicap. As quickly as possible the men
began hauling up to the stricken fish so that Allen might give it the
lance, when to their astonishment the killers seized it and literally
tore it to pieces in a few minutes.

"If ever I felt mad enough to put an iron into a 'killer' it was then,"
he said, "