TO GUAHON. 183" 



moLis, and, to appearance, helpless creature, should 

 be able to rise so high above the surface of the 

 water. The Aleutians count seven species of 

 whales, of which the most are probably unknown 

 in natural history. One of these species is a rapa- 

 cious animal, which is well known not to be the 

 case with other whales, as they have no teeth, and 

 only live on small fishes. This animal, of the 

 size of the largest whale, is furnished with dread- 

 ful jaws, full of large teeth. It devours every 

 thing it can catch, and often pursues the Aleutians, 

 whose little baydares, if it is able to overtake them, 

 it upsets with one blow of its tail. It is said that 

 a baydare, with twenty-four oars, and tliirty men, 

 was lately destroyed by the blow of such a monster, 

 near Oonalashka. 



The Russians and Aleutians relate, that if a 

 piece of the blubber of this animal is swallowed, 

 it has the property of immediately passing through 

 the body undigested. 



M. Kriukof *s description of a sea-animal which 

 pursued him at Beering*s Island, where he had 

 gone for the purpose of hunting, is very remark- 

 able : several Aleutians affirm they have often seen 

 this animal. It is of the shape of the red serpent, 

 and is immensely long ; the head resembles that 

 of a sea-lion, and two disproportionately large eyes 

 give it a frightful appearance. ** It was very for- 

 tunate for us," said Kriukof, " that we were so near 

 land, or else the monster would have swallowed 



N 4- 



