438 WHALE FISHERY. 



fixed by the compression of its lips. The occasion of 

 this happy and puzzling -accident, was therefore solved ; 

 the end of the line, after being cut from the whale 

 first killed, was in the act of sinking in the water ; the 

 fish in question, engaged in feeding, was advancing with 

 its mouth wide open, and accidentally caught the line 

 between its extended jaws ; a sensation so utterly un- 

 usual as that produced by the line, had induced it to shut 

 its mouth and grasp the line, which was the cause of its 

 alarm, so firmly between its lips, as to produce the effect 

 just stated. This circumstance took place many years 

 ago, but a similar one occurred in the year 1814. 



A harpooner, belonging to the Prince of Brazil, of 

 Hull, had struck a small fish. It descended, and re- 

 mained for some time quiet, and at length appeared to be 

 drowned. The strain on the line being then considera- 

 ble, it was taken to the ship, with a view of heaving the 

 fish up. The force requisite for performing this opera- 

 tion, was extremely various ; sometimes the line came in 

 with ease, at others, a quantity was withdrawn with great 

 force and rapidity. As such, it appeared evident that 

 the fish was yet alive. The heaving, however, was per- 

 sisted in, and after the greater part of the lines had been 

 drawn on board, a dead fish appeared at the surface, se- 

 cured by several turns of the line round its body. It 

 was disentangled with difficulty, and was confidently be- 

 lieved to be the whale they had struck. But when the 

 line was cleared from the fish it proved to be merely the 

 ' bight,' for the end still hang perpendicularly downward. 

 What was then their surprise to find that it was still pull- 

 ed away with considerable force. The capstan was 

 again resorted to, and shortly afterwards, they hove up, 

 also dead, the fish originally struck with the harpoon still 

 fast. Hence it appeared, that the fish first drawn up, had 

 got accidentally entangled with the line, and in its strug- 

 gles to escape, had still further involved itself, by wind- 

 ing the line repeatedly round its body. The first fish 

 entangled, as was suspected, had long been dead ; and 

 it was this lucky interloper, that occasioned the jerks and 

 other singular effects observed on the line. 



