The White Whale. 



car in wliich it drew a young lady round the tank. It learned to recog- 

 nise its keeper, would allow itself to be handled, and at the proper time would 

 come and put its head out of water to receive the harness, and take food from 

 the hand. At times it showed a playful disposition, and amused itself by 

 splashing about in the water and tossing stones in its mouth. It often took 

 in its mouth a sturgeon and a small shark, which were confined in its tank, 

 and, after playing with them for a while, allowed them to go unharmed. It 

 was, however, less tractable than a bottle-nosed dolphin {Delphinut tursio), 

 which was for a time its companion in the tank. Dr. Jeffries Wyman, Pro- 

 fessor of Anatomy in Harvard College, communicated to the Boston Natural 

 History Society in April and May, 1863, the above and other interesting 

 particulars concerning this tame Beluga. They are recorded in the Society's 

 Journal, vol. 7, p. 603. 



As the tank in which Mr. Barnum's whale lived so long was smaller than 

 that constructed for the whale at the Royal Aquarium, there was reasonable 

 ground for believing that a Beluga would thrive as well at Westminster as in a 

 New York Museum, or as the porpoises which lived for several months, and 

 became so tame and docile, in the Brighton Aquarium. As a looker-on of 

 some experience, I am satisfied that in the treatment of this " Westminster 

 Whale " everything was done that foresight could dictate in the existing state of 

 knowledge and skill in the carriage of living animals. " JExperientia docet ; " 

 and improvements were devised, to be adopted on a futui-e occasion. Mean- 

 while, the measure of success which was attained in the transport of this 

 whale was distinctly in advance of anything of the kind that had been pre- 

 viously done or expected ; and I still regard its safe conveyance as a great 

 achievement, and one highly creditable to all concerned. 



So far was Mr. Farini from being discouraged by the death of this whale, 

 that no sooner was the breath out of its body than he exclaimed, " If I live till 

 next year I will bring a dozen White Whales here if I want them." In the 

 meantime, as the Beluga can only be conveniently taken at one season of the 

 year, he sent Mr. Zach. Coup to Lerwick, with orders to capture, if possible, 

 one or more specimens of the " Pilot Whale," which occasionally visits the 

 northern islands of Scotland in vast herds. But, although in the endeavour 

 to obtain a black whale if he could not procure a white one he incurred con- 

 siderable expense, the weather was against him, and he was obliged to quietly 

 " bide his time." The months soon passed away, the season came round 

 again, and in due time he received intelligence that four White Whales would 

 start on the 18th of May (1878), on board the Allan Line Steamer " Cir- 

 cassian." This vessel arrived at Liverpool on the morning of May 27th. Mr. 

 Farini and Mr. Carrington, who were waiting there, boarded her in the Mer- 

 sey, and found that three of the four whales were alive and vigorous, and that 

 one had died during rough weather on the 24th, having been turned over in its 

 box by a lurch of the vessel. Its blow-hole having been thus deprived of access 

 to the air, it was suffocated. Of the three whales brought ashore alive, one was 

 forwarded to the Pomona Gardens, Manchester, another to Blackpool; and the 

 third, accompanied by Mr. Farini and Mr. Carrington, arrived safely at the 

 Royal Aquarium, where it was met by Mr. Wybrow Eobertson, Mr. Frank 

 Buckland, and others, who, like myself, feel an interest in the experiment. The 

 side of the box having been cut away, the whale rolled over into the great 

 tank-ful of clear water with a mighty splash, and soon made itself at home 

 in its new quarters. 



