His CAPTORS. 77 



Losses by Sinking. Means of Prevention. 



The Commodore Preble has lost, in the course 

 of this voyage, seven by sinking after they were 

 " turned up," and three from alongside in rug- 

 ged weather, because without a long and strong 

 hawser to secure them by to windward while 

 lying-to. Six of our boats were stove in one 

 season on the northwest coast, some of the crew 

 were badly hurt, and the men got so afraid of 

 a whale, that some of them would hide away 

 when the order was given to lower. 



The only cause I have ever heard assigned 

 for the right whale's sinking so often, is having 

 the air-vessel which Nature is thought to pro- 

 vide this animal with, pierced by the lance or 

 harpoon. Any one can see that a few buoys 

 fastened to them would counterweigh this tend- 

 ency to sink. I have even heard of their being 

 hauled up when out of sight by four boat's crews 

 pulling upon the tow-lines that were fast to the 

 harpoons buried in the sinking carcass. 



Till we know more of the natural history of 

 the whale than we yet do, its sinking so ap- 

 parently without law can not be certainly ac- 

 counted for. One whaleman says that he has 

 known a whale of the largest size, which, in 

 cutting him in, proved to be a dry-skin, that is, 



