438 THE NARWHAL. 



the tusk. A Narwhal has been known to encounter a ship, and to drive its tusk through the 

 sheathing, and deeply into the timbers. The shock was probably fatal to the assailant, for 

 the tooth was snapped by the sudden blow, remaining in the hole which it had made, and 

 acting as a plug that effectually prevented the water from gaining admission into the vessel. 



In some rare instances the right tusk has been developed instead of the left, and it is 

 supposed that if the developed tooth should be broken, the right tusk becomes vivified, and 

 supplies the place of the damaged weapon. One remarkable case is known where both tusks 

 were almost equally developed, being rather more than ten inches in length ; and another 

 example is recorded of a Narwhal which possesses two long tusks, the one being seven feet 

 five inches in length, and the other seven feet. These tusks diverge slightly from each other, 

 as their tips are thirteen inches asunder, though there is only an interval of two inches 

 between their bases. Both these specimens were females. Sometimes the female Narwhal 

 possesses a spear like her mate, but this circumstance is probably the effect of age, which in 

 so many creatures, such as the domestic fowl, gives to the aged female the characteristics and 

 armature of the male. 



As both these double-tusked Narwhals were females, it may be probable that they owed 

 their unusual weapons to some peculiarity in their structure, which prevented them from 

 becoming mothers, and forced the innate energies to expend themselves in the development 

 of tusks instead of the formation of offspring. The tusks of male swine and other animals, 

 the horns of male deer, the mane of male lions, and other similar structures, appear to be safety 

 valves to the vital energies, which in the one sex are occupied in the continual formation of 

 successive offspring, and in the other find an outlet in the development of tooth, horn, and 

 hair, according to the character of the animal. In all probability, the health of the animal 

 would greatly suffer if the calcareous and other particles which are deposited in the tusk were 

 forced to remain in the system instead of being harmlessly removed from it and placed upon 

 its exterior. 



The ivory of the Narwhal's tusk is remarkably good in quality, being hard and solid, 

 capable of receiving a high polish, and possessing the property of retaining its beautiful 

 whiteness for a very long period, so that a large Narwhal horn is of no inconsiderable com- 

 mercial value. 



But in former days, an entire tusk of a Narwhal was considered to possess an inestimable 

 value, for it was looked upon as the weapon of the veritable unicorn, reft from his forehead 

 in despite of his supernatural strength and superhuman intellect. Setting aside the rarity of 

 the thing, it derived a practical value from its presumed capability of disarming all poisons 

 of their terrors, and of changing the deadliest draught into a wholesome beverage. 



This antidotal potency was thought to be of vital service to the unicorn, whose residence 

 was in the desert, among all kinds of loathsome beasts and poisonous reptiles, whose touch 

 was death and whose look was contamination. The springs and pools at which such monsters 

 quenched their thirst were saturated with poison by their contact, and would pour a fiery 

 death through the veins of any animal that partook of the same water. But the unicorn, by 

 dipping the tip of his horn into the pool, neutralized the venom, and rendered the deadly 

 waters harmless. This admirable quality of the unicorn-horn was a great recommendation in 

 days when the poisoned chalice crept too frequently upon the festive board ; and a king could 

 receive no worthier present than a goblet formed from such valuable material. 



Even a few shavings of unicorn-horn were purchased at high prices, and the ready sale 

 for such antidotes led to considerable adulteration a fact which is piteously recorded by an 

 old writer, who tells us that "some wicked persons do make a mingle-mangle thereof, as I 

 saw among the Venetians, being as I here say compounded with lime and sope, or perad- 

 venture with earth or some stone (which things are apt to make bubbles arise), and after- 

 wards sell it for the unicorn's horn." The same writer, however, supplies an easy test, 

 whereby the genuine substance may be distinguished from the imposition. "For experi- 

 ence of the unicorn's horn to know whether it be right or not ; put silk upon a burning 

 coal, and upon the silk the aforesaid horn, and if so be that it be true, the silk will not 

 be a whit consumed." 



