LOSS OF WHALES BY SINKING. 57 



north-west coast take a number of whales an- 

 nually, by having their rude fish spears fastened 

 to inflated seal-skin floats, four feet long and 

 one and a half or two feet broad, which tend to 

 keep the whale on the top of the water, and 

 allow him to fall a comparatively easy prey. 

 The same thing used to be effected by the In- 

 dians of Cape Cod, having their fish spears 

 fastened to blocks of wood in lieu of which 

 sperm whalemen now use, instead of a buoyant 

 float, only what is called a " drag." Now that 

 whales are getting scarce, we think it impossible 

 but that Yankee sense and forehandedness will 

 soon see to this, and go prepared against such 

 disheartening catastrophes as losing their game 

 by its sinking, after unsurpassed skill and dar- 

 ing have made it fairly their own. 



If owners knew how much might be saved 

 by it, they would never let a ship go from port 

 without buoys to hold up dead whales, and long 

 hawsers to lay- to with by them in gales of wind. 

 The Commodore Preble lost, in the course of 

 tins voyage, seven whales by sinking after they 

 were " turned up," and three from alongside in 



