RAY CATCHING. 371 



In about an hour and a half after he was first struck, a favour- 

 able opportunity offering, a large five-pointed harpoon, made 

 fast to a very heavy staff, was thrown at him with such an ele- 

 vation, that it should fall upon him with the whole weight of 

 the weapon this having been as well directed as the first, was 

 lodged nearly in the middle of his back. The struggle he 

 made at this time to get away was truly tremendous, plung- 

 ing in the midst of the boats, darting from the bottom to the 

 surface alternately, dashing the water and foam on every side 

 of him, and rolling round and round to extricate himself 

 from the pole. This might be considered as having given 

 him the coup de grace, although, at short intervals afterwards, 

 he was struck with two more harpoons, and several musket 

 balls were fired into him. Still he was able to set out again, 

 taking the four boats after him, which he carried along with 

 the greatest ease. Having gone in this way for some time he 

 came to a stop, and laid himself to the bottom, when, with 

 all the lines that were attached to him, it was quite impossible 

 to move him. All expedients were nearly beginning to fail, 

 when it was proposed to slacken the lines, which being done 

 had the desired effect, and he again set out. Having thus got 

 him from the ground, inch by inch was gained upon him, till 

 he was got near the surface, when he was struck with two large 

 pikes. He now got rather faint ; and the boats closing on 

 him on every side, the combat became general with pikes, 

 muskets, and every weapon we had. In fact, to such a pitch 

 were all excited on the occasion, that, had a cool spectator 

 seen the affray, he would undoubtedly have imagined that it 

 was his sable majesty himself that we had got amongst us. He 

 was now towed ashore, being about five hours since he was 

 first struck. This it required all the boats to do, and then 

 but very slowly. His appearance now showed the extraordi- 

 nary tenacity of life of which this animal must be possessed, 

 as his whole body was literally a heap of wounds, many of 

 which were through and through, and he was not yet quite 



