DOLPHINS, PORPOISES 



The giant of the delphinidae, the grampus or gladiator 

 dolphin, reaches a length of twenty and even five-and- 

 twenty feet ; is one of the most voracious of the tribe, and 

 is found in various of the northern seas, travelling in 

 quite small herds. Such a herd will collect round a 

 whale, and between them kill and eat it. Sometimes they 

 vary their tactics ; surround the whale, hustle and bully 

 it, drive it backwards and forwards for a whole day or 

 more till it is dead beat, and then, between them, tear out 

 and devour its tongue. The strength of the grampus is 

 proverbial, and when a harpoon is fixed in it, it will make 

 no difficulty of towing a boat-load of men for several 

 miles before it is tired out. Many years ago a small 

 grampus was seen in the Thames near Blackwall. Four 

 men rowed after it and pierced it with three harpoons, 

 and just when they thought their capture safe and their 

 task finished, the powerful young beast started off full- 

 speed up the river against a tide that was running eight 

 miles an hour. After a couple of miles it dived, and then 

 came to a dead stop, seemingly exhausted, and the oars- 

 men pulled triumphantly towards it, expecting to find it 

 dead ; but, as they came within about a fathom of it, the 

 grampus suddenly shot away again, scarcely seeming to 

 notice the pull of the boat when the rope had run taut 

 again, and swam beyond Deptford another three miles 

 before it would own itself conquered. A full-grown 

 grampus would probably have towed thrice the number of 

 men to Twickenham, and then been prepared to run them 

 back again to Tilbury or Southend. 



Probably most readers have seen porpoises, if only at a 



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