408 ON THE 



the smaller species of two teeth) which resembling 

 a spiral or twisted horn, is attached to Jhe socket 

 of one side of the upper jaw, whence it projects 

 horizontally forward to the extent of nine or ten 

 feet, terminating at its farther extremity in a 

 sharp point; thus rendering itone of the most for- 

 midable instruments of defence which has been bes- 

 towed on the animal Kingdom, being usually des- 

 tructive to boats of every description with which 

 it may come in contact, and even penetrating 

 deep into the solid timbers of the largest ships. 



It is from this projecting tusk (the only tooth 

 given to the -animal) that the Narwhal has receiv- 

 ed the name of the unicorn. 



This defensive weapon however does not pre- 

 vent the enierprizing Greenlander from fearlessly 

 attacking and harpooning the fish f >r the sake 

 of its flesh, iniestines, teeth, and Oil, the latter 

 of which it furnishes in lar^e proportions. The 

 flesh and intestines, and even the oil, form materi- 

 al p.irts of the Greenlander's food ; but the prin- 

 cipal application of the latter, is for domestic pur- 

 poses, which, in the number of dark days of those 

 latitudes, is an object <>f the first importance. The 

 tendinous portions of the flesh, are split into small 

 fibres to make thread for their very limited manu- 

 factures, and the teeth, which aflfords very fine 

 ivory, they barter for other articles, arid what 

 they cannot dispose of, they con vert into gateposts 

 fpr their houses. At Rosenberg in Denmark, (as 



