22 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF 



poons were fastened, and in the course of an hour both 

 were killed. 



There is something extremely painful in the destruc- 

 tion of a whale, when thus evincing a degree of affection- 

 ate regard for its young, that would do honour to the 

 superior intelligence of human beings ; yet the objects 

 of the adventure, the value of the prize, and the joy of 

 the seamen with the capture, cannot be sacrificed in re- 

 flecting to the refined feelings of compassion. 



When the female suckles her offspring, she throws 

 herself upon one side, on the surface of the sea, and the 

 young whale attaches itself to the teat. They con- 

 tinue at the breast for a year, during which time the 

 sailors denominate them short-heads. At this time they 

 are extremely fat, and will yield above fifty barrels of 

 blubber, the mother being at the same time equally lean 

 and emaciated. At the age of two years they are called 

 stunts, as they do not thrive much immediately after 

 quitting the breast; they then yield scarcely above 

 twenty or twenty- four barrels of blubber. From that 

 time forward they receive the appellation of skull-fish, 

 and their age is wholly unknown. In the latter end of 

 April, 1811, a sucker was captured by one of the Hull 

 ships, having the funis umbilicalis, or naval- string, still 

 attached. 



A CUB WHALE, SIXTEEN FEET LONG. 



