96 HISTORY OF THE WHALE. 



pellicle of oil, which exudes from its wounds, and appears 

 on the surface of the sea. The final capture is sometimes 

 proceeded by a convulsive and awful struggle : and in 

 dying, it turns over on its side or back ; which joyful cir- 

 cumstance is announced by three loud huzzas, and the 

 striking of the flags. No time is lost, ere the tail is 

 pierced and fastened with ropes to the boats, which drag 

 the carcase to the ship amidst shouts of triumph. 



The time requisite for capturing a whale, Mr. Scorseby 

 states, that he has seen a whale despatched in fiteen min- 

 utes, and others alive, after severe treatment, at the end 

 of fifty hours. Much depends on the conduct of the ani- 

 mal itself, much on the activity of the whaler, and much, 

 also, on the nature of the situation and weather. He states, 

 that the average time does not exceed an hour. 



As bearing on this point, and exhibiting the surprising 

 vigor of the mysticetus, we shall here introduce an anec- 

 dote related by Mr. Scorseby. In 1817, the Royal Bounty 

 of Leith fell in with whales, at a distance from land or ice, 

 there being at the same time a brisk breeze and clear weath- 

 er. The boats were manned and sent in pursuit. After a 

 chase of five hours, one of the boats struck the whale about 

 four A. M. The captain followed in the ship, and though 

 for a time he lost sight of them, yet he again descried a boat 

 at eight A. M., with a signal displayed of being fast. 



Some time after, he observed another boat approach 

 the fish, a second harpoon struck, and a new signal dis- 

 played. As, however, the fish drew the two boats away 

 with considerable speed, it was mid-day before any assis- 

 tance could reach them. Two more harpoons were then 

 struck ; but such was the vigor of the whale, that, though 

 it constantly dragged through the water from four to six 

 boats, together with a length of nearly a thousand feet 

 of line to each, yet it pursued its course nearly as fast as 

 a boat could row ; and such was the terror it manifested 



