216 THE DEDUCTOR, OR CASING WHALE. 



showers of stones, splashings of oars, frequent gashes 

 with harpoon and spears, whilst the din created by 

 the shouts of the boats'-crews, and the multitude on 

 shore, was in itself sufficient to stupify and stun the 

 bottle-nosed foe to a surrender. On more than one 

 occasion, however, the floating phalanx was broken, 

 and it required the greatest actirity and tact ere the 

 breach could be repaired and the fugitives regained. 

 The shore was neared by degrees, the boats ad- 

 vancing and retreating by turns, till at length they 

 succeeded in driving the captive monsters on the 

 beach opposite the town, and within a few yards of 

 it. The movements of the whales were now violent, 

 but except when one became unmanageable and 

 enraged when harpooned, or his tail fixed in a 

 noose, they were not dangerous to approach. One 

 young sailor, however, received a stroke from the 

 tail of one of the largest of them, which promised to 

 be fatal. In a few hours the whales were captured : 

 the shore was strewed with the dead carcases, whilst 

 the sea presented a bloody arid troubled aspect, 

 giving evident proofs that it was with no small effort 

 that they were subdued, and made the property of 

 man. On the present occasion, the whole inhabi- 

 tants of the place, male and female, were interested 

 spectators of the scene." (Caledonian Mercury.) 

 One might almost fancy that old Waller, two hundred 

 years ago, was one of the witnesses of this identical 

 scene. 



They man the boats, and all the young men arm 

 With whatsoever may the monsters harm 



