THE ARCTIC SEAS. 131) 



blooded, and dependent for existence on keeping up 

 the animal heat, the Whale is furnished in this thick 

 wrapper with a substance which resists the abstraction 

 of heat from the body as fast as it is generated, and 

 thus is kept comfortably warm in the fiercest polar 

 winters. Again, the oil contained in the cells of the 

 skin being specifically lighter than water, adds to 

 the buoyancy of the animal, and thus saves much 

 muscular exertion in swimming horizontally and in 

 rising to the surface ; the bones, being of a porous or 

 spong}'' texture, have a similar influence. 



These few particulars • in the physiology of these 

 vast creatures may serve to carry our minds up in 

 adoring wonder to the mercy as well as wisdom of 

 the Lord God Almighty, and may give us a glimpse 

 of the meaning of that glorious truth, " And God 

 saw everything that He had made, and behold it 

 was VEKY GOOD." JNIany other instances of beautiful 

 contrivance and design might easily be added, in 

 the construction of the mouth, the eyes, the fins, the 

 tail ; but all would lead us to the same result : and 

 these which I have adduced may be taken as a sample 

 of the rich feast which the study of nature affords to 

 the Christian student. 



The capture of these immense animals, from their 

 vast strength, the fickle element on which it is pur- 

 sued, and the horrors peculiar to the Arctic regions, 

 is an adventure of extraordinary hazard. The ships, 

 built fur the purpose, and strengthened with much 

 oak and iron, leave the northern parts of this country 

 early in April, and by the end of the month usually 

 reach the scene of their enterprise. Arrived within 



