WHALE FISHING. 149 



and not only to fight with him, but also to vanquish him, LlB - m - 

 and to triumph over him. Considering this/ I have 

 often remembred that place of the Psalme, speaking of the psaimciii. 

 Whale, Draco iste, quern formasti ad illudendum eum. What 

 greater mockerie can there be then to see an Indian leade 

 a whale as bigge as a mountaine vanquished with a corde. 

 The maner the Indians of Florida vse (as some expert men 

 have tolde me) to take these whales (whereof there is great 

 store) is, they put themselves into a canoe, which is like a 

 barke of a tree, and in swimming approach neere the 

 whales side; then with great dexteritie they leape to his 

 necke, and there they ride as on horsebacke, expecting his 

 time, then hee thrustes a sharpe and strong stake, which 

 hee carries with him, into the whales nosthrill, for so they call 

 the hole or vent by which they breathe; presently he beates 

 it in with an other stake as forcibly as hee can; in the meane 

 space the whale dooth furiously beate the sea, and raiseth 

 mountaines of water, running into the deepe with great 

 violence, and presently riseth againe, not knowing what to 

 doe for paine; the Indian still sittes firme, and to give him 

 full payment for this trouble, he beates another stake into 

 the other vent or nosthrill so as he stoppeth him quite, and 

 takes away his breathing; then hee betakes him to his 

 canoe, which he holdes tied with a corde to the whales 

 side, and goes to land, having first tied his corde to the 

 whale, the which hee lettes runne with the whale, who 

 leapes from place to place whilest he finds water enough ; 

 being troubled with paine, in the end hee comes neere the 

 land, and remaines on ground by the hugenesse of his 

 body, vnable any more to moove ; then a great number of 

 Indians come vnto the conquered beast to gather his 

 spoiles, they kill him, and cut his flesh in peeces, this 

 do they drie and beate into powder, vsing it for meate, 

 it dooth last them long : wherein is fulfilled that which 

 is spoken in another Psalme of the whale, Dedisti eum \SS\. 



