of the Greenland JVhale. 21 



ing the thigh, hip, leg, arm, three ribs, and the lower jaw of 

 this poor man ; and, afterwards almost miraculously, dragged 

 the extremity of the boat, in which he lay, seven leagues along 

 the surface of the water, without sinking, within an hour and 

 three quarters; when he was picked up by the Dundee of 

 Dundee. This is, however, evidently, a yet more interesting 

 illustration of the curative efforts of the system, in our own 

 species, than even of the powers of offence in the whale. 



Another, and, perhaps, still more generally fatal mode of 

 retaliation had recourse to by a wounded whale, especially if 

 it be accompanied by a young one, although fortunately one 

 of less frequent occurrence, consists in the creature tilting 

 furiously, and with impetuous velocity, with the snout, against 

 a boat, by which the latter becomes inevitably shivered to 

 pieces and lost. When in the agonies of death also, by the 

 rolling motion, which a whale often assumes, such blows have 

 frequently been communicated to boats, by its widely extended 

 fins, as to shiver them to pieces. 



The extreme fidelity of these wonderful animals towards 

 each other, and their affection for their offspring, is almost 

 incredible. So fondly attached are they to the society of their 

 brethren, that many instances are recorded of their assuming 

 a passive floating position, on the surface, after offering much 

 resistance ; as though disdaining to survive the loss of their 

 companions. Thus, when the Cyrus had captured six, out of 

 a herd of seven whales, and they were supported around the 

 vessel on the water, the surviving one rose, and thrust its head 

 amongst its dead brethren, and remained immoveable, close to 

 the vessel, while it was killed. 



In general, the female is accompanied in her progress by her 

 young one, though, on the contrary, she sometimes wanders very 

 far from it ; and yet, by some unknown impulse, highly calcu , 

 lated to excite our amazement, she has no difficulty in finding it, 

 though perfectly silent, in the vast and trackless ocean, as often 

 as she requires ; and the same may be said of all the cetacea. 

 But further, when her young one is hardest pursued and har- 

 pooned, she supports it under her fin, while she plunges with 

 it for safety into unfathomable depths. 



A young whale, having been struck by a harpoon from a 



