THE AMERICAN WHALEMAN. 187 



wounded whales, however, especially in and about the In- 

 dian Ocean. But besides these recognized sources of sub- 

 sistence, I am led to believe that they feed partly on other 

 substances, for, on examining the worn surfaces of the 

 whale's tooth, it will be observed that the ivory is marked 

 with scratches, as though made with a coarse rasp. These 

 are seen crossing the point in various directions, and oblique- 

 ly down the sides of the tooth to the gum, showing that the 

 tooth comes in frequent contact with matters harder than 

 its own substance, and of minute and angular forms, such as 

 corals, crushed shells, or sand. None of these things have b'een 

 observed in the whale's stomach, however. I mention this 

 unnoticed feature, that the future naturalist may take it into 

 account in making up his chapter on the food of the whale. 



The " settling " of the whale is so remarkable as to require 

 a notice also. It is often a means of safety when the ordi- 

 nary motions of diving or running are insuflScient. From a 

 position of entire rest, floating at length on the surface, and 

 spouting at leisure, the whale has a power of sinking bodily 

 with great rapidity, without altering its horizontal position, 

 and without a motion of the tail or fins. As far as a person 

 in the boat can determine, it often resorts to this means of 

 escape when a boat copies suddenly within the range of 

 vision, and so close at hand that the whale dare not round 

 out to sound. I have seen the sperm-whale at rest sudden- 

 ly seem a mass of lead, and sink from the head of the boat 

 so rapidly that the harpoon was darted, but not delivered. 

 Many whales escape thus ; and nothing can exceed the mor- 

 tification the occurrence causes the boat-steerer. He hauls 

 in the still straight iron, and can scarcely credit his senses. 



The sperm-whale attains a very great size. The measure 

 of a whale, in whaling parlance, is indicated by the number 

 of barrels of oil it will make. Ask any old whaling-captain 

 of forty years' experience, how long is the longest sperm- 

 whale, and he will strive to answer the question by estima- 



