New Zealand is pre-eminently a country of grand harbours; but Ithink those that are least used easily hear the palm for grandeur of scenery and facility of access.The wonderful harbour, or rather series of harbours, into which we were now entering for the first time, greatly resembled in appearance a Norwegian fjord, not only in the character of its scenery, but from the interesting, if disconcerting, fact that the cliffs were so steep-to that in some places no anchorage is found alongside the very land itself.There are, however, many places where the best possible anchorage can be obtained, so securely sheltered that a howling south-wester may be tearing the sea up by the roots outside, and you will know nothing of it within, except what may be surmised from the motion of the clouds overhead.It was an ideal place for a whaling station, being right on the Solander.
We found it exceedingly convenient, and much nearer than Port William, but, from the prevailing winds, difficult of access in nine cases out of ten, especially when hampered with a whale.
Upon cutting-in our latest catch, an easy explanation of his passive attitude was at once forthcoming.He had been attacked by some whale-ship, whose irons had drawn, leaving deep traces of their presence; but during the battle he had received SEVENbombs, all of which had entered around his small, but had not exploded.Their general effect had been, I should think, to paralyze the great muscles of his flukes, rendering him unable to travel; yet this could not have taken place until some time after he had made good his escape from those aggressors.It was instructive, as demonstrating what amount of injury these colossi really can survive, and I have no doubt that, if he had been left alone, he would have recovered his normal energy, and been as well as ever.From our point of view, of course, what had happened was the best possible thing, for he came almost as a gift--the second capture we had made on these grounds of a like nature.
At the close of our operations the welcome news was made public that four more fish like the present one would fill us bung-up, and that we should then, after a brief visit to the Bluff, start direct for home.This announcement, though expected for some time past, gave an amazing fillip to everybody's interest in the work.The strange spectacle was witnessed of all hands being anxious to quit a snug harbour for the sea, where stern, hard wrestling with the elements was the rule.The captain, well pleased with the eagerness manifested, had his boat manned for a trip to the entrance of the harbour, to see what the weather was like outside, since it was not possible to judge from where the ship lay.On his return, he reported the weather rough, but moderating, and announced his intention of weighing at daylight next morning.Satisfied that our days in the southern hemisphere were numbered, and all anxiety to point her head for home, this news was most pleasing, putting all of us in the best of humours, and provoking quite an entertainment of song and dance until nearly four bells.
During the grey of dawn the anchor was weighed.There was no breath of wind from any quarter, so that it was necessary to lower boats and tow the old girl out to her field of duty.
Before she was fairly clear of the harbour, though, there came a "snifter" from the hills that caught her unprepared, making her reel again, and giving us a desperate few minutes to scramble on board and hoist our boats up.As we drew out from the land, we found that a moderate gale was blowing, but the sky was clear, fathomless blue, the sun rose kindly, a heavenly dream of soft delicate colour preceding him; so that, in spite of the strong breeze, all looked promising for a good campaign.At first no sign could be seen of any of the other ships, though we looked long and eagerly for them.At last we saw them, four in all, nearly hull down to seaward, but evidently coming in under press of sail.So slow, however, was their approach that we had made one "leg" across the ground and halfway back before they were near enough for us to descry the reason of their want of speed.
They had each got a whale alongside, and were carrying every rag of canvas they could spread, in order to get in with their prizes.
Our old acquaintance, the CHANCE, was there, the three others being her former competitors, except those who were disabled, still lying in Port William.Slowly, painfully they laboured along, until well within the mouth of the Straits, when, without any warning, the wind which had been bringing them in suddenly flew round into the northward, putting them at once in a most perilous position.Too far within the Straits to "up helm" and run for it out to sea; not far enough to get anywhere that an anchor might hold; and there to leeward, within less than a dozen miles, loomed grim and gloomy one of the most terrific rock-bound coasts in the world.The shift of wind had placed the CHANCEfarther to leeward than all the rest, a good mile and a half nearer the shore; and we could well imagine how anxiously her movements were being watched by the others, who, in spite of their jealousy of his good luck, knew well and appreciated fully Paddy's marvellous seamanship, as well as his unparalleled knowledge of the coast.
