SEA SERPENT AND WHALE. 103 



position a few minutes, the serpent and whale 

 again sunk and disappeared, and neither were 

 seen after by any on board. It was Captain 

 West's opinion that the whale was trying to 

 escape, as he spouted but once at a time on 

 coming to the surface, and the last time he 

 appeared he went down before the serpent 

 came up. 



Between all these natural foes and its preda- 

 tory human enemy, the great mammoth of 

 ocean seems doomed to extinction. But I have 

 no scruple at confessing that, since I have be- 

 come closely acquainted with the habits of the 

 great right whale, how quietly it grazes through 

 the great pasture- ground which God has or- 

 dained for it and fitted so well to be its home ; 

 and since I have observed the hazards that have 

 to be encountered and the perils to be sur- 

 mounted in its capture by men, and have 

 coupled with this the consideration of the 

 various other sources from which the human 

 family can now be supplied with oil, whether 

 for burning or the arts, I begin to be somewhat 

 doubtful about the lawfulness and expediency 



