206 ZOOLOGY. 



in command of the boat being aware that the whale 

 he was killing was not that which had been har- 

 pooned. 



A female Cachalot (or a young male) seldom takes 

 out more than a tub and a half of line, or at most 

 an entire boat's line; but an adult male will sound 

 much deeper; and has been known to carry down 

 three continuous lines. When the whale descends to 

 any considerable depth, a sound, which may be com- 

 pared to the creaking of new leather, is conducted from 

 its body along the line : this fact has not been ac- 

 counted for, but may probably depend upon the pres- 

 sure to which the animal must be subjected at so great 

 a depth beneath the surface of the sea. 



The time occupied in destroying a whale depends 

 upon so many fortuitous circumstances in the attack, 

 that it may not exceed ten minutes, or may be pro- 

 tracted to six or seven hours. When first pierced with 

 the harpoon, the Cachalot is alarmed and bewildered, 

 and, if promptly attacked with the lance, may be de- 

 stroyed in a short time ; but should it be allowed time 

 to rally, it often becomes a wary and mischievous 

 adversary. An old female, and a half-grown male, are 

 considered the most troublesome to encounter, from 

 their active and combative temper. 



It occasionally happens that a whale is killed by the 

 harpoons alone, or by a single lance-wound. The 

 Russell, South-Seaman, when cruising off the Japan 

 coast, struck a seventy -barrel whale with two harpoons, 

 but at so late a period of the day as to be obliged to 

 cut the line, and let the animal escape without further 

 injury : on the following morning, however, the same 

 whale was found floating dead on the water, and se- 

 cured by a ship in company ; but was subsequently re- 



