80 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF 



but the whole immense mass was suspended by his body, 

 occasioning the most excruciating torture, and even ex- 

 posing him to the danger of being torn asunder, when 

 his companions contrived to hook the kreng with a grap- 

 nel, and bring it to the surface. 



It not unfrequently happens that after the exertions 

 of many hours the whale makes its escape and is lost. 

 Captain S. relates an extraordinary case of a whale 

 struck on the 25th of June, 1812, by one of the har- 

 pooners belonging to the Resolution of Whitby, then 

 under his command, which after a long chase broke off, 

 and took with it a boat and twenty-eight lines, the 

 united length of which was 6,720 yards, or upwards of 

 three English miles and three-quarters. The value of 

 the property thus lost was above one hundred and fifty 

 pounds sterling ; and the weight of the lines above 

 thirty-five hundred weight. They soon after, however, 

 again got sight of the animal near two miles off, and 

 immediately re-engaged in the pursuit. They came up 

 with it by great exertions about nine miles from the 

 place where it was first struck. The attack was now 

 renewed. " One of the harpooners," continues Captain 

 Scoresby, " made a blunder; the whale saw the boat, took 

 the alarm, and again fled. I now supposed it would be 

 seen no more ; nevertheless we chased nearly a mile in 

 the direction I imagined it had taken, and placed the 

 boats, to the best of my judgment, in the most advan- 

 tageous situations. In this case we were extremely for- 

 tunate. The whale rose near one of the boats, and was 

 immediately harpooned. In a few minutes two more 

 harpoons entered its back, and lances were plied against 

 it with vigour and success. Exhausted by its amazing 

 exertions to escape, it yielded itself at length to its fate, 

 received the piercing wounds of the lances without re- 



