44 The Mysticetus, or Right Whale 



whole tribe of suckers (Remora) who have up till 

 then had free warren in the roof of the whale's mouth, 

 true parasites, without aught to strive for or a need 

 unsatisfied. Then the vast victim, his agile slayers 

 gone, becomes the prey of ocean's tribes of scavengers, 

 ever ready anywhere in that mighty so-called waste 

 of water to attend to their duty of keeping ocean 

 sweet. Birds above and fish below labour furiously 

 at the task of ridding the sea of its incubus, and in a 

 very short time they succeed, the immense framework 

 of bone slowly disintegrating and sinking into those 

 silent, unknown depths. 



Nor is the Orca the only sea foe, as distinguished 

 from man, that the Mysticetus has to fear. The 

 swordfish {Xiphias), a huge species of mackerel, with 

 a short sturdy shaft of bone protruding from his upper 

 jaw, which is capable of penetrating six inches of solid 

 oak when the two to six-hundred-pound body behind 

 it gathers its full momentum, attacks the Mysticetus 

 with almost maniacal fury, although it cannot do an 

 adult much harm except by way of worry. For the 

 shortness of the sword (lance it ought really to be called 

 from its shape) does not admit of its penetrating beyond 

 the blubber of an adult Mysticetus, except in non-vital 

 parts. Still, the swordfish is a valuable ally to the 

 killer, with whom he often joins forces, while to the 

 young calves he is destruction itself. It is a sight not 

 easily to be forgotten : the long lithe body of the 

 swordfish gliding through the sea with incredible 

 swiftness, like a streak of light of deeper blue than 

 the surrounding sea, and, meeting the body of a three- 

 months calf, enter it as if it were thin air. A dexterous 

 twist of the broad tail and the weapon is withdrawn. 

 A gush of blood stains the water brown, and amid the 

 murky surroundings the repeated stabs of the lance. 



