120 WHALE FISHERY 



fishery abound with fearful narratives of the dangers from icebergs 

 closing upon the ships or dashing them to pieces, many of which are of 

 absorbing interest ; but which our limits will not allow us to detail. 



THE SWORD FISH. 



Next to the harpooners, the whale may be said to fear the attack of 

 this little but very active enemy, at the sight of which, the huge animal 

 seems to be frightened and agitated in a most extraordinary degree, and 

 attempts to fly from his pursuer, whose active exertions quickly overtakes 

 his monster prey "I have been a spectator," says Anderson, "of these 

 attacks. The whale has no instrument of defence but his tail, and with 

 that it endeavours to strike its enemy, and a single blow taking place would 

 annihilate its adversary; but the sword fish is as active as the whale is 

 strong, and easily avoids the stroke; then bounding into the air, it falls 

 upon its enemy, and endeavours not to pierce it with its pointed beak, but 

 to cut with its toothed edges. Succeeding in this, the sea is all round 

 dyed with blood, proceeding from the wounds of the whale; while, the 

 enormous animal vainly endeavouring to reach its invader, he strikes 

 with his tail the surface of the water, making at each blow a noise louder 

 than the report of a piece of ordnance. The whale has still another enemy, 

 which is called the ' Biller. ' ' Those fish are armed with strong and 

 powerful teeth they attack the whale in a body, completely surrounding 

 it, ill the same style that dogs attack a bull, until at last their huge enemy 

 is torn down. It is said that the "Billing)" eat the tongue only of the 

 whale which they have thus conquered. 



WHALE FISHERY ON THE COAST OF IRELAND. 



The following account appears in the report of the Committee on Public 

 Works in Ireland, and is therefore worthy of credit. It is an extract of a 

 letter'from the Commander of the Coast Guard. " It is very extraordi- 

 nary, but still very true, that this coast (one of the best coasts in Europe, 

 abounding from the most productive whales, both Spermaceti and Green- 

 land, to the common herring ) posseses the worst and most ignorant race of 

 fisherman, and (with few exceptions) very indifferent boatsmen. But the 

 cause of these remarks may be easily accounted for; their poverty, which 

 prevents them from procuring proper stout vessels for so dangerous 

 coast, and almost total absence of all patronage and support, to follow up 



