32 



Sperm Whales on Kent Coast. 



Head of Cachalot. The 



prominent Boss contains 



the sperm oil. 



FIG. 3. 



Kentish and Essex coasts. One alive 

 even got up the Thames to as far as the 

 Lower Hope. The carcasses of the 

 others turned out a valuable property, 

 as the annexed quotation will show. 



An old newspaper of May 17th, 1762, 

 states that " the spermaceti and blub- 

 ber of the four whales which were ashore at Burchington [sic.] 

 and Broadstairs were sold last Wednesday for 374 18s., and 

 that at Deal for 149, which was much more than was 

 expected." Harting in " Zoologist," March, 1883. 



Since then (1829) a male, 62 feet long and 16 feet high, was 

 secured by the Whitstable fishermen. When frightened into 

 shallow water, and tide receded, scythes at the end of poles 

 had to be used to kill the monster. A London firm purchased 

 the carcass from the fishermen for 80, and they sent down 

 men and apparatus to flense and prepare the oil on the beach. 

 However, as matters went, the Lord of the Manor came forward, 

 followed by the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, finally the 

 Crown authorities. Meantime, ere law proceedings terminated, 

 the valuable material had been pretty well sw r ept back into the 



sea. 



FIG. 4. 



Photo by Geo. Cousins, Birchington. 



Back view of the sperm whale lying on the groyne as stranded on the 

 beach at Birchiugton, August, 1898.* 



* Mr. Cousins, to whom thanks are due, has kindly shewn us another large photo- 

 graph taken by him, wherein the head and inouth are amply shewn, bvit we have pre- 

 ferred the above as better displaying the position across the groyne, and behind the 

 backhump, not fin, in this whale. 



