150 MAMMALS OF BERMUDA. 
our party had the whale taken his leap one minute sooner, for he would 
then have fallen plump on the boat. The waves caused by the splash 
of the monster spread over half the anchorage, nor, if the Leander her- 
self had blown up, could the effect have extended much further.” 
Scoresby, in his interesting work on the Arctic Whale Fishery, corrob- 
orates this curious habit, so that there can be no doubt of its being an 
indisputable fact. 
This whale appears to have been the victim of assault from the Sword- 
fish (Xiphias gladius) and Thresher (Alopias vulpes) in days of yore, as 
as we glean from the pages of. an old writer on the Bermudas.* 
‘“T forbeare to speake what a sorte of whales wee have seene hard 
aboaed the shoare followed sometime by the Sword Fish and the Thresher, 
the sport whereof was not unpleasant. The sword-fish, with his sharpe 
_and needle finne pricking him into the belly when he would sinke and 
fall into the sea; and when hee startled vpward from his wounds, the 
Thresher with his large Fins (like Flayles) beating him aboue water. 
The example whereof giues vs (saith Ouiedus) to vnderstand, that in 
the selfe same perile and danger doe men liue in this mortall life, where- 
in is no certaine security neither in high estate nor low.” 
And this account is borne out by a further statement to the same 
effect, made by another eye-witness about the same date. 
‘« Whales there are in great store at that time of the yeare when they 
come in, which time of their comming is in Februarie and tarry till 
June. Likewise there commeth in two other fishes with them, but such 
as the whale had rather bee without there companie; one is éalled a 
Sword-fish, the other a Threasher; the sword-fish swimmes vnder the 
whale and pricketh him vpward; the Threasher keepeth aboue him, and 
with a mightye great thing like vnto a flayle hee so bangeth the whale, 
# 
that he will roare as though it thundered, and doth giue him such blowes - 
with his weapon that you would thinke it to be a cracke of great shot.” 
The Right Whale will sometime become playful with its young, toss- 
ing it out of water time after time, and it is a somewhat curious fact 
that they are more prone to indulge in this pastime during bright moon- 
light nights, coming close in near the edge of the reefs on the south 
side of the island and exhibiting their exploits within full view of per- 
sons on shore. 
*“Purchas His Pilgrimes,” vol. iv, London, 1625, The ninth book, chap. vi: “A 
true repertory of the wracke, and redemption of Sir Thomas Gates, Knight; vpon, 
and from the Islands of the Bermudas: his comming to Virginia, and the estate of 
that Colonie then. and after, vnder the gouerument of the Lord LA WakRE, July 15, 
1610. Written by WILLIAM Stracuy, Esquire.” 
