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THE KING'S MIRROR 



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entrails are examined, nothing is found in its abdomen 

 like what is found in other fishes that take food, for the 

 abdomen is empty and clean. It cannot readily open 

 and close its mouth, for the whalebone which grows in 

 it will rise * and stand upright in the mouth when it is 

 opened wide; and consequently whales of this type often 

 perish because of their inability to close the mouth. 

 This whale rarely gives trouble to ships. It has no teeth 

 and/is fat and good to eat.J 



Then there is a kind of whale called the rorqual, and 

 this fish is the best of all for food. It is of a peaceful dis- 

 position and does not bother ships, though it may swim 

 very close to them. This fish is of great size and length; 

 it is reported that the largest thus far caught have meas- 

 ured thirteen times ten ells, that is, one hundred and 

 thirty ells by the ten-count. Because of its quiet and 

 peaceful behavior it often falls a prey to whale fishers. 

 /It is better for eating and smells better than any of the 

 other fishes that we have talked about, though it is said 

 to be very fat; it has no teeth. It has been asserted, too, 

 that if one can get some of the sperm of this whale and 

 be perfectly sure that it came from this sort and no 

 other, it will be found a most effective remedy for eye 

 troubles, leprosy, ague, headache, and for every other 

 ill that afflicts mankind. Sperm from other whales also 

 makes good medicine v , though not so good as this sort.J 

 And now I have enumerated nearly all the varieties of 

 whales that are hunted by men. 



* The author seems to believe that the whalebone rises from the lower jaw or 

 the floor of the mouth; as a matter of fact it is fastened to the palate. 



