690 THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 



Islands. The whole neighborhood, old and young, is instantly in 

 motion, and soon numerous boats shoot off from shore to inter- 

 cept the retreat of the dolphins. Slowly and steadily they are 

 driven toward the coast; the phalanx of their enemies draws 

 closer and closer together; terrified by stones and blows, they 

 run ashore, and lie gasping as the flood recedes. Then begins 

 the work of death, amid the loud shouts of the executioners and 

 the furious splashings of the victims. 



THE GRAMPUS. 



THE ferocious ore, or grampus, is the tiger of the Arctic seas. 

 Black above, white beneath, it is distinguished by its large dorsal 

 fin, which curves backward toward the tail, and rises to the height 

 of two feet or more. Measuring no less than twenty-five feet in 

 length and twelve or thirteen in girth, of a courage equal to its 

 strength, and armed with formidable teeth, thirty in each jaw, 

 the grampus is the dread of the seals, whom it overtakes in spite 

 of their rapid flight ; and the whale himself would consider it as 

 his most formidable enemy, were it not for the persecutions of 

 man. The grampus generally ploughs the seas in small troops of 

 four or five, following each other in close single file, and alter- 

 nately disappearing and rising so as to resemble the undulatory 

 motions of one large serpentine animal. In summer they appear 

 in the Greenland seas, and the seals instantly seek refuge from 

 them in the various creeks and inner harbors ; and the Esquimau 

 hunter in his frail kyak, when he sees the huge pointed dorsal 

 fin swiftly cleaving the surface of the Gea, is scarcely less anxious 

 to shun such dangerous company. 



THE ARCTIC SHARK. 



THE white, or basking shark, of Polar waters is an animal pos- 

 sessing some very peculiar habits, and is said to be absolutely 

 insensible to pain. Greenland fishers use nets to take even the 

 white whale, which is a small species, and these nets are service- 

 able also to capture sharks, though they are principally taken by 

 means of a large hook adapted to the purpose. These sharks are 

 caught for the sake of their livers, which yield a considerable 



