450 ACCOUNT OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 



— is productive of more oil than any other of the 

 Cetacea, and, being less active, slower in its motion, 

 and more timid than any other of the kind, of 

 similar or nearly similar magnitude, is more easily 

 captured. 



Large as the size of the whale certainly is, it has 

 been much over-rated ; — for such is the avidity with 

 which the human mind receives communications 

 of the marvellous, and such the interest attached to 

 those researches which describe any remote and ex- 

 traordinary production of nature, that the judg- 

 ment of the traveller receives a bias, which, in 

 cases of doubt, induces him to fix upon that ex- 

 treme point in his opinion which is calculated to 

 afford the greatest surprise and interest. Hence, 

 if he perceives an animal remarkable for its mi- 

 nuteness, he is inclined to compare it with some- 

 thing still more minute ; — if remarkable for its big- 

 ness, with something fully larger. AVhen the ani- 

 mal inhabits an element where he cannot examine 



armed with a very hard, sharp weapon^ measuring 5 metres or 

 16| feet, (p. 151). 



Now, so far from these particulars being correct, I am per- 

 suaded that the Mysticetvis, which is now seldom found of a 

 length greater than 60 feet, is as large as at any former period ; 

 that the steam of its breath (not water) is ejected to the height 

 of some few yards, perhaps 4 or 5 ; that it swims with a velo- 

 city, at the greatest, of 8 or Q miles an hour ; that the average 

 size of the narwal is only 1 5 feet ; and that its tusk seldom eX" 

 ceeds 8 or 9 feet in length. 



