246 DOLPHINS. 



grounded on the shoal off Dundee. Their high dorsal 

 fins had been for some time observed by the fishermen, 

 coursing to and fro in the offing ; but as the fins of 

 porpesses are often seen in the same place, they did 

 not excite much attention. A new harbour being in 

 the progress of construction, a number of masons, ex- 

 cavators, and other labourers, were at work upon the 

 sea-wall and its foundations. As the tide ebbed to the 

 depth of four or five feet, a violent splashing drew the 

 attention of the workmen, who found the shoal of 

 grampuses, close by the place where they were work- 

 ing ; the larger ones already grounded, and lashing 

 furiously with their tails, and the smaller ones flouncing 

 and plunging ; the whole having their heads toward the 

 land, and working nearer to it. Stimulated by the 

 joint expectation of great fun and great wealth, the 

 men armed themselves with shovels, pickaxes, crow- 

 bars, boat-hooks, mallets, and chisels, and, in short, 

 every thing that seemed to have any chance of inflict- 

 ing a wound, and plunged into the water in a body. 

 Some of them had the temerity to catch hold of the 

 tails, and vaulting across the narrow part at the root of 

 the fins, to impel the fish further out of the water ; 

 but they were jerked off in an instant, and men and 

 grampuses were weltering in one common confusion ; 

 still, as the water was very shallow, and the men inured 

 to it, there was no danger. One got astride, just before 

 the dorsal fin, with his face to the tail ; and grasping that, 

 rode the sea like another Arion ; but though he treated 

 his beast of burden with plenty of music, or at least 

 noise, it did not show the same gratitude ; for it turned, 

 got toward the deep water, and he was glad to escape. 



