202 WHALE-F18HERY. 



empty boats having been furnished with two lines 

 each, (a very inadequate supply,) they, together 

 with the one in a good state of equipment, now 

 made an attack upon the whale. One of the har- 

 pooners made a blunder; the fish 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 advantageous situations. In this case we 

 were extremely fortunate. The fish rose near one 

 of the boats, and was immediately harpooned. In 

 a few minutes, two more harpoons entered its back, 

 and lances w r ere 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 resistance, 

 and finally died without a struggle. Thus termi- 

 nated with success, an attack upon a whale, which 

 exhibited the most uncommon determination to es- 

 cape from its pursuers, seconded by the most ama- 

 zing strength of any individual whose capture I 

 ever witnessed. 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 



* It has been frequently observed, that whales of this size 

 are the most active of the species; and those of very large 

 growth are, in general, captured with less trouble. 



