161 



Ian; and in the account of Captain Cook's last voyage, 

 the little whale is particularly mentioned. I have 

 good reason to believe that, besides the two kinds 

 of whales above mentioned, all the species discover- 

 ed in the northern may likewise be found in the 

 southern seas ; but as the Chilians have never paid 

 attention to the whale fishery, I am not able to as- 

 sert it with positiveness, nor to determine the dif- 

 ference, if there be any, between the northern and 

 southern whale ; this, however, is certain, that the 

 wliales of the south are not inferior in size to those 

 of the north. I have myself seen a whale that had 

 been driven ashore on the coast of the C hones, that 

 was ninety-six feet long, and on the same coast 

 was also found the rib of another twenty-two feet in 

 length. I cannot but be surprised that Mr. BufFon, 

 in contradiction to the testimony of the most re- 

 spectable navigators, has asserted that the southern 

 seas produce no whales,^ and that the largest animal 

 that is found in them is the manati ; that learned 

 naturalist, who too frequently suffers himself to be 

 misled by his favourite system, should have recol- 

 lected that the great phoca, improperly denominated 

 the sea-lion, an animal which he has himself de- 

 scribed, far exceeds in size the manati. 



There are occasionally seen upon the coast of 

 Araucania, certain animals called by the Indians sea- 



* On the 30ih we steered for Stateii-land, and on the passage 

 fell in with so great a number of whales, of the largest size, that 

 the crew were apprehensive lest they would sink the ship. We 

 als© saw great numbers of sea -wolves and penguins.— /oî/?'?2a/ of 

 Cafitain Cook's second Voyage, page 522. 



