216 THE CRUISE OF THE " CACHALOTS 



on kidnapping errands, or any other if they can help it, 

 until their unerring guides inform them that life is 

 extinct. When a sperm whale is in health, nothing 

 that inhabits the sea has any chance with him ; neither 

 does he scruple to carry the war into the enemy's 

 country, since all is fish that comes to his net, and a 

 shark fifteen feet in length has been found in the 

 stomach of a cachalot. 



The only exception he seems to make is in the case 

 of man. Instances have several — nay, many times 

 occurred where men have been slain by the jaws of a 

 cachalot crushing the boat in which they were ; but their 

 death was of course incidental to the destruction of the 

 boat. Never, as far as I have been able to ascertain, 

 has a cachalot attacked a man swimming or clinging 

 to a piece of wreckage, although such opportunities 

 occur innumerably. I have in another place told the 

 story of how I once saw a combat between a bull- 

 cachalot and so powerful a combination of enemies 

 that even one knowing the fighting qualities of the 

 sperm whale would have hesitated to back him to win, 

 but the yarn will bear repetition. 



Two " killers " and a sword-fish, all of the largest size. 

 Description of these warriors is superfluous, since they 

 are so well known to museums and natural histories ; 

 but unless one has witnessed the charge of a Xivhias, 

 he cannot realize what a fearful foe it is. Still, as a 

 practice, these creatures leave the cachalot respectfully 

 alone, knowing instinctively that he is not their game. 

 Upon this memorable occasion, however, I guess the two 

 Orcas were starving, and they had organized a sort of 

 forlorn hope with the Xiphias as an auxiliary who might 

 be relied upon to ensure success if it could be done. 

 Anyhow, the syndicate led off with their main force 



