An account of stalking a Greenland whale

From the 1889 fishing season:

"Most of the Greenland whales were caught near a very large floe; one of these, which was harpooned by Mr. Robert Gray, the eldest son and chief officer of Captain David Gray, was seen from the crow's nest of the Eclipse, about a mile away with only its crown and part of its back showing--it was fast asleep. The boat pulled up behind it as quietly as possible and, when near enough, was allowed to drift silently upon the whale, and Mr. Gray did not fire until the boat was over the whale's tail with its bow almost touching its back. This whale had over 10 ft. of bone" (p. 421).

From The Arctic Whalers by Basil Lubbock