THE BASKING SHARK. 71 



Amazing rapidity when wounded. 



strikes his weapon into the body as near the gills 

 as he can. They seem not very susceptible of 

 pain; for they often remain in the same place, 

 till the united strength of two men is exerted to 

 force the harpoon deeper. As soon as they per- 

 ceive themselves wounded they plunge headlong 

 to the bottom; and frequently coil the rope 

 round their bodies in agony, attempting to disen- 

 gage themselves from the fatal instrument by 

 rolling on the ground. Discovering that these 

 efforts are in vain, they swim off with such 

 amazing rapidity, that one instance has occurred 

 of a basking shark towing to some distance a 

 vessel of seventy tons burthen against a fresh 

 gale. They sometimes run off with two hundred 

 fathoms of line, and two harpoons in them ; arid 

 will employ the men from twelve to twenty- four 

 hours before they are subdued. As soon as they 

 are killed, the fishermen haul them on shore ; or, 

 if at a distance from land, to the vessel's side, to 

 cut them up and take out the liver, which is the 

 only useful part of their bodies. This is melted 

 into oil in kettles provided for the purpose; and, 

 if the fish be a large one, it will yield eight bar 

 rels or upwards. 



