ILLUSTRATIVE ANECDOTES, 289 



Howe of Shields. On the fish extending and lift- 

 ing its back with uncommon violence, the harpoon 

 was disengaged, and projected high into the air, 

 when, at the same moment, the fish rolled over upon 

 its back, and received the point of the falling wea- 

 pon in its belly, whereby it was entangled and 

 caught ! This circumstance, romantic as it may ap- 

 pear, is so well authenticated by the person who 

 struck the fish, together with others who were in 

 the boat at the time, and were witnesses of the fact, 

 that I have no scruple in introducing it here. 



6. Capture of a Fish which survived forty 

 Hours after being struck. — On the 28tli of 

 May 1817, the Royal Bounty of Leith, Cap- 

 tain Drysdale, fell in with a great number of 

 whales in the latitude of 77" 25' N., and lon- 

 gitude 5° or 6° E. Neither ice nor land v/as in 

 sight, nor was there supposed to be either the one 

 or the other within 50 or 60 miles. A brisk breeze 

 of wind prevailed, and the w^eathcr was clear. The 

 boats were therefore manned and sent in pursuit. 

 After a chase of about five hours, theharpooner com- 

 manding a ])oat, who, with another in company, had 

 rowed out of sight of the ship, struck one of tlie 

 whales. This was about 4 a. m. of the 29th. The 

 captain supposing, from the long absence of the 

 two most distant boats, that a fish had been struck, 



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