214 ZOOLOGY. 



Although the Cachalot, when first harpooned, strikes 

 violently with its tail, plunges convulsively, and would 

 appear to threaten destruction to every object in its 

 vicinity, yet these actions are unpremeditated and 

 awkward, and can only be regarded as instinctive ex- 

 pressions of pain and alarm, which the whaler expects 

 to observe, and which he is well prepared to meet; 

 consequently, with ordinary precautions, the boats are 

 seldom injured at this stage of their proceedings; 

 although it is commonly believed to be the most 

 critical and hazardous. But should the animal be 

 allowed time to rally, it often becomes truly mis- 

 chievous. Actuated by a feeling of revenge, by anxiety 

 to escape its pursuers, or goaded to desperation by the 

 weapons rankling in its body, it then acts with a de- 

 liberate design to do mischief; and but too frequently 

 succeeds, either through the inevitable nature of its 

 attacks, or through the temerity of the whaler. 



Some of these whales, when attacked, will retreat 

 but little from the spot on which they are harpooned ; 

 but rather lie, and fight with their jaws and tail until 

 life is extinct. Others, without being themselves in- 

 jured, will aid an attacked companion, and from the 

 circumstance of their actions being less watched, often 

 succeed in doing serious injury to the boats ; whilst 

 some few individuals make wilful, deliberate, and even 

 judicious attempts to crush a boat with their jaws, and, 

 unless avoided or killed, will repeat their efforts until 

 they succeed in their object. 



An " under-clip," or blow received from a whale's 

 flukes near the surface of the water, may shatter and 

 overturn a boat, or injure the crew by the force of the 

 concussion alone ; but human life is chiefly endangered 

 when the tail of the animal is swept rapidly through 



