374 VALUE OF THE WHALE. 



tion by her affection for her young, seemed wholly insen- 

 sible to the perils that environed her. One of the boats 

 at length approached near enough to deliver a harpoon at 

 her ; it struck, but did not penetrate. A second harpoon 

 was flung, and this too failed to attach itself; but a 

 third was more successful, and entered the flesh. Still 

 she made no effort to escape, allowing the other boats 

 to gather round her ; so that in a few minutes three 

 more harpoons were fastened, and in the course of an 

 hour she was slain. There is something very pitiful, as 

 Dr. Scoresby remarks, in the destruction of a whale, 

 when thus exhibiting a degree of affectionate regard 

 for its offspring which would do honour to the supe- 

 rior intelligence of human beings ; yet the object of 

 the adventure, the value of the prize, and the joy of 

 the capture, cannot be sacrificed to compassionate senti- 

 ments. 



The principal products of the Greenland whale are 

 its oil, its whalebone, and its skin. These, together, 

 form an important commercial staple ; but other por- 

 tions are utilized by the peoples which inhabit the arctic 

 islands. 



Thus, its flesh is esteemed by some a choice article of 

 food. The Eskimos eat the flesh and fat and drink the 

 oil with an almost disgusting avidity. Captain Hall 

 draws some strange pictures of the voracity with which 

 they pounce upon the carrion. It is said that not a few 

 of the tribes carry with them in their migrations bladders 

 filled with whale-oil, to which they resort as a toper does 

 to his bottle, with equal relish, but with infinitely less 

 injury to their constitutions. Both adults and children 

 eat the skin of the whale uncooked, and infants suck it, 



