CAPTURING THE WHALE. 109 



occasionally lead to the most extraordinary ad- 

 ventures ; as examples of which, we subjoin a very 

 few narratives of facts. 



The whale itself, though for the most part unde- 

 signedly, is the cause of the greatest number of 

 accidents which occur. Injuries are often sustained 

 by entanglement with the lines. A sailor belonging 

 to the John of Greenock, in 1818, happening to 

 slip into a coil of running rope, had his foot entirely 

 cut off, and was obliged to have the lower part of 

 the leg amputated. A harpooner belonging to the 

 Hamilton, when engaged in lancing a whale, in- 

 cautiously cast a little line under his foot : The pain 

 of the lance induced the whale to dart suddenly 

 downwards ; his line began to run out from under 

 his feet, and, in an instant, caught him by a turn 

 round the body : He had just time to call out, 

 " Clear away the line Oh dear !" when he was 

 almost cut asunder, dragged overboard, and never 

 seen afterwards. The following graphic and tra- 

 gical scene is taken from Mr. Scorseby's Journal. 

 Two boats belonging to the Baffin of Liverpool 

 having been many hours absent from the ship, and 

 occasioned much anxiety, were at last descried 

 pulling towards the ship. On their approach, we 

 were a little surprised by some unusual appear- 

 ances, particularly their want of their proper com- 

 plement of oars, and the solemn countenances of 

 the rowers. As soon as they came within hail, I 

 inquired what had happened. " A bad misfor- 

 tune, indeed," was the answer, " we have lost 



