202 ON THE EFFECTING OF 



those animals having appeared in greater number than 

 usual, generally in groups of five and six together. It 

 is, as formerly noticed, in such circumstances extremely 

 dangerous to strike one of the group, as the others, in 

 the confusion of escape, make such irregular and violent 

 motions, that any boat within reach of them is apt to be 

 destroyed : many such accidents occurred Avithin view, 

 but fortunately no life was lost. The movements of the 

 whale are truly terrible when writhing in the agonies of 

 wound ; and when the deadly barb is plunged into his body, 

 his harmless nature directs the monster only to escape. 

 If ever struck before, memory, and the dread of such 

 another attack, excite alarm at the presence of a boat, 

 when the tlurry in which the animal endeavours to make 

 off is attended with extreme danger to the pursuer, par- 

 ticularly if a number happen to be in company when one 

 is struck, the fugitives being then most dangerous. A pair 

 also engaged in the dalliance of nature are dangerous to 

 be approached, as happened in the case of the one above- 

 mentioned being killed : her companion at the same time 

 being struck, both wounded descended to the bottom, 

 and rose again to seek each other, when a boat belonging 



display of cirrocumulus, resting apparently on cin-ostratous beds, whiclj 

 bad previously formed in an elevated position. 



