PROCEEDINGS IN CAPTU1RINS THE WHALE. 24T 



tangled, drew the boat beneath the ice. Another 

 boat, providentially was at hand, into which the 

 crew, including myself, who happened to be present, 

 had just time to escape. The whale, with near two 

 miles' length of line, was, in consequence of the ac- 

 cident, lost, but the boat was recovered. On a sub- 

 sequent occasion, I underwent a similar misadven- 

 ture, but with a happier result ; we escaped with a 

 little wetting into an accompanying boat, and the 

 whale was afterwards captiu*ed, and the boat with 

 its lines recovered. 



When fish have been struck by myself, I have on 

 different occasions estimated their rate of descent. 

 For the first 300 fathoms, the average velocity was 

 usually after the rate of eight to ten miles pei^ 

 hour. In one instance, the third line of 120 fa- 

 thoms was run out in 61 seconds ; that is, at the 

 rate of 8^ English miles^ or 7^ nautical mAes per 

 hour. 



By the motions of the fast-boat, the simul- 

 taneous movements of the whale are estimated. 

 The auxiliary boats, accordingly, take their stations, 

 about the situation where the whale, from these 

 motions, may reasonably be expected to appear. 



The average stay under water, of a wounded whale, 

 which steadily descends after being struck, accord- 

 ing to the most usual conduct of the animal, is about 

 30 minutes. The longest stay I ever observed was 

 56 minutes ; but in shallow water, I liave been in- 



