AND MANATEES 



The work is often lucrative enough ; but, as is always 

 the case with the more profitable forms of fishing, very 

 risky and uncertain. Sometimes, in the very heat of the 

 slaughter, one of the men will discover that the boat is 

 leaking ; it has been punctured by one of the ivory swords 

 round it, which, driven accidentally and with but little 

 force against the timbers, has succeeded in making a hole 

 but not in staying there to stop it up. Hastily the few 

 carcasses taken on board are pushed out of the way and 

 attempts made at checking the leak. This however is 

 idle, for, by the time the men have discovered and stopped 

 one hole, they have realised that the water is still coming 

 in from other holes and that the boat must now surely 

 sink. With their heavy nailed boots, and their already 

 sodden woollen leggings, swimming will be impossible; 

 and unless another boat can get at the sinking crew, there 

 is not much hope for them. And a boat may be ever so 

 near, yet powerless to help ; for the very thickness of the 

 shoal, which under ordinary circumstances would mean 

 wealth to the fishermen, is now a horrible obstacle, 

 effectually preventing the progress of another boat 

 towards the unfortunates. Cases have been known of 

 a crew being drowned or gored to death by the terrified 

 narwhals while another boat was within a few fathoms of 

 them. 



The modern Icelanders have ceased to regard the tusks 

 as merely useful as arrows, tent-poles, and charms ; instead 

 they export them, and get a very high price for them ; 

 for narwhal ivory is harder, and will bear a higher polish, 

 than even that obtained from the elephant. All kinds of 



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