J288 WHALE-FISHERY. 



4. A Fish captured aper hehig Twice Lost. — 

 An Aberdeen whaler cruismg in Greenland, to- 

 wards the close of the fishing-season of the year 

 1814, met with a whale, which one of the harpoon- 

 ers struck. Stormy weather commencing, obliged 

 them to cut the line. The next day a fish was 

 struck, which proved to be the same, but which 

 again escaped them ; " and on the following day, 

 the identical fish came up at the ship's bow, blew 

 vehemently, was again struck, and in half an hour 

 was secured." 



5. A cwious Circumstance in the Fishery. — 

 It is very generally believed by the whalers, that 

 lish have occasionally been struck, which, by a sud- 

 den extension or heave of the body, have instantly 

 disengaged themselves from the hai-poon. This 

 case usually happens when the whale is struck " with 

 a slack back," as that position of the fish is deno- 

 minated, in which the back being depressed, the 

 flesh is relaxed. A harpoon then struck, occasions 

 an uncommon wound. Hence, if the fish sudden- 

 ly extends itself, and elevates its back, the wound 

 appears of twice the size of the harpoon ; and con- 

 sequently the weapon is capable of being thrown out 

 by the jerk of the body. 



Under such circumstances as these, a large whale 

 was struck by a hai-pooner belonging to the sliip 



