M AMMALI A — W HALE. 



405 



A late improvement has been made in the method of discharging the 

 harpoon, namely, by shooting it out of a kind of swivel or musquetoon ; but 

 ;t does not appear that since this improvement was made, the whale fishing 

 ships have had better success than before. 



The flesh of this animal is a dainty to some nations ; and the savages 

 if Greenland, as well as those near the south pole, are fond of it to distrac- 

 tion. They eat the flesh, and drink the oil, which is a first-rate delicacy 

 T.ie nnding a dead whale is an adventure considered among the fortunate 

 circumstances of their lives. They make their abode beside it ; and seldom 

 remove till they have left nothing but the bones. 



