50 
ACTIONS OF THE SPERM WHALE. 
minutes it again rose, apparently in great trepidation, 
and as it reared with great velocity, half of its huge 
body projected out of the water. Gaining, however, 
in a few seconds the horizontal position, it went off at 
its utmost speed, “ going head out ,? — the moment after 
which he saw a fish, somewhat resembling a conger-eel 
in figure but rather more bulky, and to all appearance 
about six or eight feet in length, ding itself high out of 
the water after the whale, and fall clumsily on its back, 
which caused still more alarm to the immense but timid 
animal, so that it beat the water with its tail, and reared 
its enormous head so violently, that sounds from the 
former could be heard at a great distance : it still how- 
ever continued its rapid career, receiving every few 
minutes the unwelcome visits of its galling adversary. 
My informant also stated, that he had good reason to 
believe that some other animal was at the same time 
attacking it from below ; for he, on more than one occa- 
sion, saw some animal dart at times to the surface with 
amazing quickness, as if engaged with great fury in the 
contest; and which, he supposed, prevented the whale 
from descending, in which he had the power no doubt, if 
he had not been thus prevented, of leaving his antago- 
nists far behind. The attack was continued for a con- 
siderable time, during which the whale had got a great 
distance from the ship, when it twice threw itself com- 
pletely out of its native element, no doubt endeavouring 
to escape from its tormenting adversaries by this act 
of “ breaching,” and which I have myself seen him do, 
after having been unsuccessfully chased by the boats. 
