short need have troubled them, for, large as
were their numbers, the supply was evidently fully equal to all demands.
All night long the feast proceeded, and, even when morning dawned, busy
figures were still discernible coming and going between the reduced
carcass and the fires, as if determined to make an end of it before
their operations ceased.

CHAPTER XXI. PROGRESS OF THE "HUMPBACK" SEASON

It will probably be inferred from the foregoing paragraph that we were
little troubled with visits from the natives next day; but it would be
doing them an injustice if I omitted to state that our various "flems"
put in an appearance as usual with their daily offerings of fruit,
vegetables, etc. They all presented a somewhat jaded and haggard look,
as of men who had dined not wisely but too well, nor did the odour of
stale whale-meat that clung to them add to their attractions. Repentance
for excesses or gluttony did not seem to trouble them, for they
evidently considered it would have been a sin not to take with both
hands the gifts the gods had so bountifully provided. Still, they did
not stay long, feeling, no doubt, sore need of a prolonged rest after
their late arduous exertions; so, after affectionate farewells, they
left us again to our greasy task of trying-out.

The cow proved exceedingly fat, making us, though by no means a large
specimen, fully fifty barrels of oil. The whalebone (baleen) was so
short as to be not worth the trouble of curing, so, with the exception
of such pieces as were useful to the "scrimshoners" for ornamenting
their nicknacks, it was not preserved. On the evening of the third
day the work was so far finished that we were able to go ashore for
clothes-washing, which necessary process was accompanied with a good
deal of fun and hilarity. In the morning cruising was resumed again.

For a couple of days we met with no success, although we had a very
aggravating chase after some smart bulls we fell in with, to our mutual
astonishment, just as we rounded a point of the outermost island. They
were lazily sunning themselves close under the lee of the cliffs, which
at that point were steep-to, having a depth of about twenty fathoms
close alongside. A fresh breeze was blowing, so we came round the point
at a great pace, being almost among them before they had time to escape.
They went away gaily along the land, not attempting to get seaward,
we straining every nerve to get alongside of them. W