noon
The sea did not subside however . I could not think of leaving my sure haven yet . It did not look exactly like settled weather but the sun shone warmly for part of that forenoon . Before noon several screaming gulls had found the dead whale and were circling around it , gaining courage to attack . The presence of the sloop moored to it bothered them at first . But in a few hours there were other scavengers of the sea at hand which were afraid of nothing . I sighted the first ugly fin soon after eating my dinner .