136 THE WHALE. 



exceeds four miles an. hour; and though, when urged 

 by the sight of any enemy, or alarmed by the stroke 

 of a harpoon, their extreme velocity may be at the 

 rate of eight or nine miles an hour; yet we find this 

 speed never continues longer than for a few min- 

 utes, before it relaxes to almost one half; hence, for 

 the space of a few minutes, they are capable of 

 darting through the water, with the velocity almost 

 of the fastest ship under sail, and of ascending 

 with such rapidity as to leap entirely out of the 

 water. This feat they sometimes perform as an 

 amusement apparently, to the high admiration of 

 the distant spectators; but to the no small terror 

 of the inexperienced fishers, who even under such 

 circumstances, are often ordered, by the fool-hardy 

 harpooner, to " pull away," to the attack. Some- 

 times, the whales throw themselves into a per- 

 pendicular posture, with their heads downwards, 

 and rearing their tails on high in the air, beat 

 the water with awful violence. In both these 

 cases, the sea is thrown into foam, and the air 

 filled with vapours: the noise in calm weather is 

 heard to a great distance; and the concentric waves, 

 produced by the concussions on the water, are com- 

 muicated abroad to a considerable extent. Some- 

 times the whale shakes its tremendous tail in the 

 air, which, cracking like a whip, resounds to the 

 distance of two or three miles. 



When it retires from the surface, it first lifts its 

 head, then plunging it under water, elevates its 



