116 THE INHABITANTS OF THE SEA. 
driven on the strand, and changed dearth into abundance. 
During the four summer months that Langbye sojourned on 
the islands in the year 1817, 623 of these large dolphins, mostly 
from eight to ten yards long, were caught, and served to pay one 
half of the imported corn. The division of spoil is made in 
presence of the “ Amtmann.” Fach fish is measured, and its 
size marked on its skin in Roman characters. The largest 
whale is given to the boat which first discovered the shoal; 
then others for the poor and clergyman are selected, and the 
remainder divided, according to stated rules, between the pro- 
prietor of the ground and the persons who drove them on shore. 
The flesh is either eaten fresh, or cut into slices and hung up to 
dry; whilst the blubber is partly converted into train oil, or 
salted in casks and barrels. The fat on the sides of the fish, 
when hung for a week or two, will keep for years, and is used 
instead of bacon by the natives. 
The caving whale, remarkable from following a leader and 
swimming in large herds, also strands from time to time on the 
coasts of Iceland and on the Shetland and Orkney Islands, where 
his appearance is hailed with universal pleasure. 
Pelican 
