THE SWORD FISH. 283 



Another extraordinary account. 



of a quarter of a hundred weight, to drive an 

 iron piu of the same form and size into that 

 wood, and to the same depth, in less than eight 



/ \ ' a 



or nine strokes, whilst this had. been effected by 



only one. 





 A letter was written to Sir Joseph Banks, as 



President of the Royal Society, from the captain 

 of an East Indiaman, about twenty years ago, 

 accompanied with an account of another instance 

 of the amazing strength which thiiTfish occasion- 

 ally exerts ; the bottom of this ship having been 

 pierced through in such a manner that the sword 

 was completely embedded, or driven through its 



i j n 



whole length, and the fish killed by the violence 

 of the effort. A part of the bottom of the vessel, 

 with the sword embedded in it. is now lodged in 



, o 



the British Museum. 



The sword fish and the whale are said never to 

 meet without coming to battle ; and the former 

 has the repute of being always the aggressor. 

 Sometimes two of them join against one whale, 

 in which case the combat is by no means equal. 

 When the whale discovers the sword fish dart- 

 ing upon him, he dives to the bottom, but is 

 closely pursued by his antagonist, who compels 

 him again to rise to the surface. The battle 

 then begins afresh, and lasts till the sword fish 

 loses sight of the whale, who is at length com- 

 pelled to swim off, which his superior agility 

 allows him to do, 



The whale, as we are told by some navigators, 



a N2 



