98 THE WHALEMAN'S ADVENTURES. 



heard those who have seen it say, that, when 

 the mammae of a nursing cow whale are cut, the 

 flow of milk will whiten the ocean. The ascer- 

 tained fact that it brings forth its young only 

 one at a time, or at most two, and probably 

 once a year, or after a period of nine or ten 

 months' gestation, together with the rapid de- 

 crease of the numbers by slaughter of these 

 animals, on every cruising ground in the 

 ocean where whalers have found them, would 

 seem to be evidence of a slow growth and 

 long life. 



The only natural enemies it is known to have 

 are the sword-fish, thrasher, and killer. This 

 latter is itself a species of whale that has sharp 

 teeth, and is exceedingly swift in the water, and 

 will bite and worry a whale until quite dead. 

 When one of them gets among a gam or school 

 of whales, he spreads great consternation, and 

 the timid creatures fly every way like deer chased 

 by the hounds, and fall an easy prey to whale- 

 boats that may be near enough to avail them- 

 selves of the opportunity. I have heard a 

 captain detail with great interest a scene of this 



