ICHTHYOLOGY. 11 



quantity of oil ; the tongue alone frequently fur- 

 nishing five or six barrels. 



Q. How is this enormous animal taken ? 



A. Ships are sent out fitted up for this parti- 

 cular service. As soon as a whale is perceived, 

 several boats approach the animal with the utmost 

 silence and caution ; as soon as they are within a 

 proper distance, the man at the head of the near- 

 est boat darts into the whale a harpoon or barbed 

 weapon, to which a great length of rope is at- 

 tached. 



Q. Does the whale die immediately ? 



A. No; on feeling itself wounded, the whale 

 runs off with prodigious velocity, drawing the rope 

 after it ; but, as it is necessitated to come often to 

 the surface to breathe, it is again wounded, and 

 again it dives, till at last, weakened by repeated 

 wounds, it can no longer endeavour to escape, but 

 spouts up water, mixed with blood, and soon after 

 expires. 



Q. How is such an enormous animal disposed 

 of? 



A. The whale, being dead, is lashed along side 



Velocity, s. swiftness. 

 Lashed, v. fastened with ropes. 



