WHALE-FISHERY. 171 



accordingly, take their stations about the situation 

 where the whale, from these motions, may reason- 

 ably be expected to appear. 



The average stay under water, of a wounded 

 whale, which steadily descends after being struck, 

 according to the most usual conduct of the animal, 

 is about 30 minutes. The longest I ever observed 

 was 56 minutes; but in shallow water, I have been 

 informed, it has sometimes been known to remain 

 an hour and a half at the bottom after being struck, 

 and yet has returned to the surface alive. The 

 greater the velocity, the more considerable the dis- 

 tance to which it descends: and the lonsrer the time 

 it remains under water, so much greater in propor- 

 tion is the extent of its exhaustion and the consequent 

 facility of accomplishing its capture. Immediately 

 that it reappears, the assisting boats make for the place 

 with their utmost speed, and as they reach it, each 

 harpooner plunges his harpoon into its back, to the 

 amount of three, four, or more, according to the 

 size of the whale, and the nature of the situation. 

 Most frequently, however, it descends for a few 

 minutes after receiving the second harpoon, and 

 obliges the other boats to await its return to the 

 surface, before any further attack can be made. It 

 is afterwards actively plied with lances, which are 

 thrust into its body, aiming at its vitals. At length, 

 when exhausted by numerous wounds and the loss 

 of blood, which flows from the huge animal in co- 

 pious streams, it indicates the approach of its dis- 



