THE ORDER CETACEA. 81 



sistance, and finally died without a struggle. Thus ter- 

 minated with success an attack upon a whale which 

 exhibited the most uncommon determination to escape 

 from its pursuers, seconded by the most amazing 

 strength, of any individual whose capture I ever wit- 

 nessed. After all, it may seem surprising that it was 

 not a particularly large individual, the largest lamina of 

 whalebone only measuring nine feet six inches, while 

 those affording twelve feet bone are not uncommon. 

 The quantity of line withdrawn from the different boats 

 engaged in the capture was singularly great. It amounted 

 altogether to 10,440 yards, or nearly six English miles. 

 Of these, thirteen new lines were lost, together with the 

 sunken boat, the harpoon connecting them to the whale 

 having dropped out before it was killed." There had 

 been eight boats in all engaged in this extraordinary 

 chase. 



Of the dangers sometimes occasioned by the resistance 

 of the whale, or its efforts to retaliate upon its assail- 

 ants, Captain Scoresby relates various instances. It 

 has happened that the harpooner has been struck dead 

 in an instant by a blow from the animal's tail. At other 

 times the stroke has fallen upon the boat and jerked the 

 crew out of it into the water. " A large whale," says 

 Capt. S., " harpooned from a boat belonging to the 

 same ship (the Resolution of Whitby) became the sub- 

 ject of a general chase on the 23d of June, 1809. Being 

 myself in the first boat which approached the fish, I 

 struck my harpoon at arm's length, by which we for- 

 tunately evaded a blow that appeared to be aimed at the 

 boat. Another boat then advanced, and another har- 

 poon was struck ; but not with the same result, for the 

 stroke was immediately returned by a tremendous blow 

 from the fish's tail. The boat was sunk by the shock, 



G 



