116 THE INHABITANTS OF THE SEA. 



driven on the strand, and changed dearth into abundance. 

 During the four summer months that Langbye sojourned on 

 the islands in the year 1817, 623 of these large dolphins, mostly 

 from eight to ten yards long, were caught, and served to pay one 

 half of the imported corn. The division of spoil is made in 

 presence of the " Amtmann. n Each fish is measured, and its 

 size marked on its skin in Eoman characters. The largest 

 whale is given to the boat which first discovered the shoal; 

 then others for the poor and clergyman are selected, and the 

 remainder divided, according to stated rules, between the pro- 

 prietor of the ground and the persons who drove them on shore. 

 The flesh is either eaten fresh, or cut into slices and hung up to 

 dry; whilst the blubber is partly converted into train oil, or 

 salted in casks and barrels. The fat on the sides of the fish, 

 when hung for a week or two, will keep for years, and is used 

 instead of bacon by the natives. 



The ca'ing whale, remarkable from following a leader and 

 swimming in large herds, also strands from time to time on the 

 coasts of Iceland and on the Shetland and Orkney Islands, where 

 his appearance is hailed with universal pleasure. 



