FACETIOUS WHALE 91 



climate, and who inherit the instinct given to our 

 less fortunate fellow-creatures, and exercise it not 

 from hard necessity, but as a means of recreation. 

 Man being thus evidently destined to fish, let us 

 consider the style of thing that is likely to give him 

 the most gratification. 



When I read of the whale fishery, and of that 

 animal running out a mile of rope, for an instant 

 my thoughts were bent on the seas of Greenland ; 

 but I was taken aback by the frontispiece of Captain 

 Scoresby's entertaining narrative, which represents 

 his boat thrown aloft in the air by a playful jerk 

 of a whale's tail, and all the crew tumbling seaward 

 in very sprawling and unstudied attitudes. Now 

 this is a sort of adventure which I do not covet 

 myself, or recommend others to seek. In such case, 

 perhaps, the heroes of the harpoon might be caught 

 at their descent by some ravenous shark ; and 

 unless people have a curiosity about the construc- 

 tion of that animal's intestines for the sake of 

 scientific purposes, a visit to his interior would be 

 useless, and I think imprudent. Besides, whale 

 fishery is a sort of unsavoury butchery, wilich does 

 not suit all tastes. We will take leave, therefore, to 

 discard it at once. 



The truth is, that I like no sea fishing whatever, 

 being of opinion that it requires little skill ; neither 

 do I enjoy sailing in the salt element, for very par- 

 ticular reasons relating to health. But my mind 

 is full of solemn thoughts as I stand on the sounding 

 shore, and see the gallant vessel pass away into the 

 great desert of waters, till her misty hull rests lonely 



