him ashore to their head-quarters, the place where they try out the fat of
the whale, to obtain his oil. This is the way whales are taken, and not by
cannon-shots, which many suppose, as I have stated above.

To resume the thread of my narrative: after wounding the whale, as
mentioned, we captured a great many porpoises, which our mate harpooned to
our pleasure and amusement. We also caught a great many fish having a
large ear, with a hook and line, attaching to the hook a little fish
resembling a herring, and letting it trail behind the vessel. The large
ear, thinking it in fact a living fish, comes up to swallow it, thus
finding himself at once caught by the hook, which is concealed in the body
of the little fish. This fish is very good, and has certain tufts which are
very handsome, and resemble those worn on plumes.

On the 22d of September, we arrived on soundings. Here we saw twenty
vessels some four leagues to the west of us, which, as they appeared from
our vessel, we judged to be Flemish.

On the 25th of the month, we sighted the Isle de Greneze, [368] after
experiencing a strong blow, which lasted until noon.

On the 27th of the month, we arrived at Honfleur.

ENDNOTES:

368. Guernsey, which lay directly before them as they advanced up the
English Channel, and was the first large island that met the eye on
their way to Honfleur.