ACT1MTY (>F THE SPERMACETI WHALE. 



witness of this animated scene, and to whom I am indebted for the information, aver* that 

 thfiv ivjilly is some semblance of these various meats, an-l that the j.rk," when salted and 

 lum-lled, nik'ht !> readily taken for the llesh of tin- veritable liog. 



I'll.' -.mi.- -.-nil. -111:111 tells in.- that ill.- leaping powers of th>- < 'achalot are not in the least 

 -\.i_'_-.-!:ii.-.l. !'..! ili.it !i.- tlM 1MB Ott of these iiiimall ipfiag to NMft > '< i- *' Mtofl tli- 

 \v.it.-r. ili;ii tli<- horizon could be seen under it, although th* spectators were standing on the 

 deck of a man-of-war. The Cachalot was about three miles from the -lii]i at the time w hen it 

 iiia.l.- it-. --1'iing. 



Tin- >)..i ma., -ti \Yhale. when it is in the open sea, lives chiefly on the "squids," or 

 cuttle li-h, whirh swarm in the ocean, and when it approaches land, feeds on various fish. 

 It seems, however, to <!Mik- the propinquity of the shore, and is very seldom taken in 

 "soundings." It is a gregarious animal, being seldom seen alone, but in large herds, technic- 

 ally called "schools," and consisting of several hundred in number. The "schools" are 

 generally <li\ ided into two bands, the one consisting of young males and the other of females. 

 Each kind of female-, i- under the command of several large males, who exercise the strictest 

 discipline over their harems, and will not permit any intruder to join their society. From 

 their ollir.-. ill--.- leaders an- called the school -masters. 



At distant intervals a large, overgrown Cachalot is seen roaming the ocean, apparently 

 unconnected with any school. These solitary animals are, however, the "school -masters," 

 which have laid down their authority fora short space of time, and an; engaged in search of 

 food. These animals generally fall easy victims to the harpooner, as they are very reckless 

 in their conduct, ami will ]>crimt a boat to approach them without much difficulty. Some- 

 times \\hen >tnick they lie still and supine as if they did not feel the keen edge of the liar- 

 poon, and so afford time to the whalers to use their deadly lances at once instead pf dragging 

 them for mill-- o\er the ware*. 



Sometimes, however, a "large Whale" will become l>elligeivnt, and is then a most fearful 

 anta_'<.ni-t, using its tail and its huge jaws with equal effect. One of these animals has l>een 

 known to drive its lower jaw entirely through the plankings of a stout whaling boat, and 

 another well-known individual destroyed nine l>oats in rapid succession. This fonnidable 

 animal was at last killed, and in its carcase were found a whole armory of harpoons and spears 

 belonging to different ships. Not only boats, but even ships have been sunk by the attacks 

 of an infuriated "old bull " Cachalot. 



An American ship, the fixxt-x, was thus destroyed by the vengeful fury of a Cachalot 

 which accidentally struck itself against the keel. The irritated animal, evidently thinking 

 that the ship was a rival Whale, retired to a short distance and then charged full at the 

 vessel, striking it on one side of the bows, and crushing beams and planks like straws. Then 

 were at the time only a feu m.-n on board, the remainder of the crew Ix-ing in the boats 

 engaged in chasini: the \Vhales; and when the poor men returned to their ship, they found 

 her fast sinking, and only reached her in time to secure a scanty stock of provision and 

 water. Husbanding these precious supplies to the utmost, they made for the coast of 

 Peru, but all perished excepting three, who were almost miraculously rescued as they lay 

 senseless in their neglected boat, which was drifting at large in the ocean, unguided by 

 human hands. 



Lake the Greenland Whale, the Cachalot is an affectionate animal, and though constitu- 

 tionally timid to a degree, is yet possessed of sufficient moral courage to come to the rescue of 

 its wounded friends. If the harpooner strikes one female of the "school," her minjianions 

 will not attempt to make their escjijM-. hut will swim anxiously round their suffering com- 

 panion, and remain in her vicinity until she is killed. Taking advantage of this trait of 

 character, the whalers have often contrived, by sending a number of boats simultaneously, to 

 secure almost every member of the "school." The young males, however, are far more 

 selfish, and when one of them is struck. tl- others make off as fast as they can swim, leaving 

 their wounded companion to shift for himself as he KM ran. 



The natural timidity of the Cachalot is very remarkable, considering the gigantic size of 

 the animal and the formidable array of teeth with which it is armed. Any strange object 



