132 GREAT NORTHERN RORQUAL. 



a velocity of four or five miles an hour ; and wlien 

 it descends, it very rarely throws its tail in the air, 

 which is the general practice of the other. 



The Rorqual occurs in great numbers in the Arctic 

 Seas, especially along the edge of the ice between 

 Cherie Island and Nova Zembla, and also near Jan 

 Mayen. Persons trading to Archangel have often 

 mistaken it for the common whale. It is seldom 

 seen amidst much ice, and seems to be avoided by 

 the Mysticetus ; and the whalers therefore view its 

 appearance with concern. It inhabits most generally 

 in the Spitzbergen quarter, the parallel of from 7^^ 

 to 76^ ; but in summer, when the sea is open, it 

 advances to the northward as high as the 80^ of 

 latitude. 



The Rorqual swims with a velocity at the greatest 

 of about twelve miles an hour. It is by no means 

 a timid animal, and usually does not appear to be 

 revengeful or mischievous. When closely pursued 

 by boats it manifests ]ittle fear, and does not attempt 

 to outstrip them in the race, but merely endeavours 

 to avoid them, by diving and changing its direction. 

 If harpooned, or otherwise wounded, it then exerts 

 all its energies, and escapes with its utmost velocity. 

 Thus, we can readily credit the story related by 

 Martin, of the sailors of a small vessel having fixed 

 their harpoon in one of these Cetse, when it darted 

 off with extreme velocity, so much to the astonish- 

 ment and surprise of all on board, that, panic struck, 

 they lost all self-possession, omitted to cut the fatal 

 cord w^hich connected them to the animal, and 



