THE ARCTIC SEAS. 161 



and an enormous Whale on the other. It was in the 

 middle of summer, and the weather being clear, and 

 the fish close to the vessel, we bad a fine opportunity 

 of witnessing the combat. As soon as the Whale's 

 back appeared above the water, the Threshers, 

 springing several yards into the air, descended with 

 great violence upon the object of their rancour, and 

 inflicted upon him the most severe slaps with their 

 long tails, the sound of which resembled the reports 

 of muskets fired at a distance. The Sword-fish, in 

 their turn, attacked the distressed Whale, stabbing 

 from below ; and thus beset on all sides and wounded, 

 when the poor creature appeared, the water around 

 him was dyed with blood. In this manner they 

 continued tormenting and wounding him for many 

 hours, until we lost sight of him ; and I have no 

 doubt they, in the end, completed his destruction."* 

 Some discredit has been thrown on this and similar 

 accounts, on the ground that the fishes could have no 

 object in persecuting the Whale ; but the circum- 

 stance is not more extraordinary than the well- 

 known custom which little birds have of surround- 

 ing and teasing, or "mobbing," as it is called, 

 any large bird to which they are unaccustomed. It 

 has been objected, that the Captain describes the 

 proceedings of the Sword-fish from below, when, 

 from the reflection of the surface, he could not pos- 

 sibly see them. But, on the contrary, the incident 

 is said to have occurred " close to the vessel ;" and 

 any one who has been at sea knows that in a calm, 

 by going aloft, you can see to a great depth in the 



* Memoirs of Capt. H. Crow, p. 11. 

 11 o2 



