CHAP. XXVI. SHAEKS IN THE GULF. 91 



oil and leather into notice, informed me that he has seen 

 the St, Lawrence ' white with them ;' and he has observed 

 them passing towards the Gulf all day long over a space 

 twelve miles broad. 



The white whale is common in Hudson's Bay, and 

 efforts have been made by the Hudson's Bay Company to 

 turn this curious and very interestmg animal to account. 

 It is also met with in Ungava Bay, and is captured by 

 the Esquimaux in the foUoAving simple manner. A large 

 dan or seal-skin hiflated with air is attached to the liar- 

 poon by a thong some twenty feet in length. The 

 moment the fish is struck, the dan is thrown overboard, 

 and, being dragged through the w^ater, offers so great a 

 resistance to the movements of the whale, that it soon 

 becomes exhausted, and when it emerges, it is compelled 

 to rest for a short time before diving again. The 

 Esquimaux, with lightning speed, approaches in his 

 kayak, and secures his prize with a thrust of the spear.* 



The story of the body of a whale having been de- 

 voured by sharks whilst it was being towed to Mingan, 

 induced me to ask the captain w^hether sharks were 

 numerous in the Gulf ; he replied — 



' Pretty numerous, and I 've cause to be thankful for it.' 



'Why?' 



' I was on board an American Government vessel, some 

 ten years ago or more ; our provisions were well-nigh out, 

 when one afternoon, as we were in the Gulf Stream, we 

 caught a shark. The doctor cut him up, and examined his 

 stomach, but when the men were about to throw the 

 pieces overboard, he said, " Just shove those pieces of meat 



* Mr. McLean. 



