214 CETACEOUS FISHES. 



would certainly take fire, did not a man Hand continually with a wet 

 mop in his hand, to cool the fwivel as the cord runs. The whale having 

 dived to a confiderable depth, remains at the bottom, fometimes for 

 near half an hour, with the harpoon in its belly; and then rifes to take 

 breathy fuppofing the danger over : buttheinftant it appears, they are all 

 with their boats ready to receive it, and fling their harpoons into its body : 

 the animal again dives and again rifes, while they repeat their blows. 

 The jfhip follows in full fail, like all the reft, never lofing fight of the 

 boats, and ready to lend them affillance j the whole ocean feems dyed in 

 blood. Thus they renew their attack, till the whale begins to be quite 

 enfeebled and fpent ; when they plunge their longer fpears into various 

 parts of its body, and the enormous animal expires. When it is dead, 

 to prevent it from finking, they tie it with a ftrong iron chain to the fide 

 of the boat ; and either cut it up in pieces, and carry it home in that 

 manner j or extradt the oil from the blubber on fhip. board. 



THE NARWHAL. 



FROM whales tiiat entirely want teeth, we come to one that has 

 them in the upper jaw only; the Narwhal or Sea-unicorn. Not 

 lo large as the whale, about fixty feet long. Slenderer than the 

 whale, and not fo far. Diftinguifhed by its tooth or teeth, which ftand 

 pointing diredly forward from the upper jaw, from nine to fourteen feet 

 long. This terrible weapon is generally fingle ; but there is the Ikull of 

 a Narwhal at the Stadthoufe at Amfterdam with two. It is as ftraighc 

 as an arrow, about the thicknefs of the fm.all of a man's leg, wreathed, 

 tapering to a fliarp point ; and is whiter, heavier, and harder than ivory. 

 Its root enters into the focket above a foot and a haiC, When the animal 

 poflefled of thefe formidable weapons is urged to employ them, it drives 

 directly forward againft: the enemy with its teeth, that, like protended 

 fpears, pierce whatever ftands before them. Both fexes are found armed 

 in this manner ; the horn is fometimes wreathed, and fometimes fmooth -, 

 fometimes a little bent, and fometimes ftraight; but always ftrong, deeply 

 fixed, and (harp- pointed. Yet the narwhal is one of the moft harmlcfs 

 and peaceful inhabitants of the ocean. Conftantly and inoffenfively 



fporting 



