( 53 ) 

 when a harpooneer (Irikes his weapon into 

 the fifli as near to the gills as poflible ; but 

 rhey are often fo infenfible os not to move 

 'till the united ftrength of two men have 

 farced the harpoon deeper : as foon as they 

 perceive themfelves wounded, they fling up 

 their tail and plunge headlong to the bottom; 

 and frequently coil the rope round them in 

 their agonies, attempting to difengage them- 

 felves from the harpoon by rolling on the 

 ground, for it is often found greatly bent : 

 as foon as they difcover their efforts are vain, 

 they fwim away with amazing rapidity, and 

 with fuch violence that a veffel of 70 tons 

 has been towed by them againft a frefli gale : 

 they fometimes run off with 200 fathoms of 

 line and two harpoons in them, and will find 

 employ to the fifliers for twelve and fome- 

 times twenty- ibur hours before they are fub- 

 dued : v/hen killed they are either hawled on 

 Ihore, or if at a diftance to the veffel's fide : 

 the liver (the only ufeful part) is taken out, 

 and melted into oil, in kettles provided for 

 that purpofe : a large fiih will yield eio-ht 

 barrels of oil, and two of worthlefs fediment. 

 The commifTioners of the forfeited eftatcs 

 were at confiderable expence m their en- 

 couragement of this fpecies of fifhery ; but 

 -the perfon they confided in moft fhamefully 

 abufed their goodnefs ; fo now it is attempted 

 only by private adventurers. 



E 3 2?2 BI.c. 



