Steady and reliable as ever, that good south wind carried us back
to our 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.
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