no THE WHALEMAN'S ADVENTURES. 



brightly under the try-works, and affording all 

 the fuel for trying jout. 



Just after sundown that evening, while we 

 were lying to, and the try-works were blazing, 

 there was seen going slowly by the ship, a rod 

 or two off, a large sun- fish. The captain cau- 

 tiously lowered his boat, and, paddling lightly, 

 came up to him, and had effectually darted his 

 cruel iron before danger was suspected. Find- 

 ing it impossible to hoist him into the boat or 

 warp him along, they made fast another iron, 

 and came to the ship with the tow-line, which 

 the men at once reeved in a block, and soon 

 merrily hauled him in, singing the while a 

 sailor's song. 



We found our prize a singular- looking ich- 

 thyological wonder as ever was seen. His form 

 is that of an ellipse, or like an elliptical shield, 

 about four and a half feet in the longest diame- 

 ter, three feet across, and one foot thick. His 

 mouth is small and round, like a sea-porcupine's, 

 and sucking constantly with great force like a 

 sucker. His eye is large as a bullock's, and 

 very prominent. He has two curious fins to 



