104 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF 



finners : and when the English brig St. John, which was 

 bound for Hundholm, was lost off the islands of Rost, at 

 the extremity of the Lofodens, no money could induce 

 the fishermen to carry a letter with the intelligence, from 

 the dread of having their boat upset by the whales. The 

 alarm arose from a whale, which was described with a 

 large black tuft of hair upon its forehead,* having pur- 

 sued two boats near Tromsbe, one of which it dashed to 

 pieces, and the other escaped with considerable difficulty 

 by running ashore. 



The circumstance of the whale's pursuing boats in the 

 months of July and August has been mentioned by 

 former travellers, and, though singular, Sir Arthur is dis- 

 posed to give credence to it, from its having been con- 

 firmed by many of the respectable inhabitants in Nord- 

 land and Finmark. 



The fishermen suppose these to be the males, and that 

 the reason of their pursuing the boats during the hottest 

 months is their mistaking them for the female ; and it 

 is from their rude embraces that the boats suffer so 

 greatly. From the* note f below, however, which gives 



* I suspect they meant at the extremity of the muzzle, which is charac- 

 teristic of the B. Rorqual. 



t " The American ship the Essex, G. Pollard, Captain, was on a whal- 

 ing voyage, and in the latitude of 47 degrees south, and longitude 118 

 west, when the following accident happened. They were surrounded 

 by whales, the three boats were lowered down, and the crews busy in 

 harpooning them. Shortly afterwards a whale of the largest class struck 

 the ship, and knocked part of the false keel off. The animal then remained 

 some time alongside, endeavouring to clasp the ship with his jaws, but 

 could not accomplish it. He then turned, went round the stern, and, going 

 away about a quarter of a mile, suddenly turned, and came at the ship with 

 tremendous velocity, head on. The vessel was going at the rate of five 

 knots, but such was the force when he struck the ship, which was just 

 under the cat-head, that the vessel had sternway (went back) at the rate 

 of three or four knots. The consequence was, that the sea rushed in at 



