IX THE SEA 345 
come to the rescue. In one case, indeed, an 
American ship was actually attacked, stove 
in, and sunk by a gigantic male Cachalot. 
The Great Roqual is still more formidable, 
and has been said to attain a length of 120 
feet, but this is probably an exaggeration. 
So far as we know, the largest species of all 
is Simmond’s Whale, which reaches a maxi- 
mum of 85 to 90 feet. 
In former times Whales were frequent on 
our coasts, so that, as Bishop Pontoppidan 
said, the sea sometimes appeared as if covered 
with smoking chimneys, but they have been 
gradually driven further and further north, 
and are still becoming rarer. As they re- 
treated man followed, and to them we owe 
much of our progress in geography. Is it 
not, however, worth considering whether they 
might not also be allowed a “ truce of God,” 
whether some part of the ocean might not be 
allotted to them where they might be allowed 
to breed in peace? As a mere mercantile 
arrangement the maritime nations would prob- 
ably find this very remunerative. The reck- 
less slaughter of Whales, Sea Elephants, Seals, 
