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CHAPTER XVc 
OF THE FAVOURITE PLACES OF RESORT OF THE 
SPERM WHALE, 
Although the spermaceti whale has been seen, and 
even captured, in almost every part of the ocean between 
the latitude of 60° south and 60° north, I am not aware 
that it has ever been seen in the Mediterranean sea, 
and seldom, or never, at Greenland by modern navi- 
gators ; although several ancient authors agree in stating 
that it has been frequently seen there ; for Cuvier has 
stated from some authority, that the Greenlanders are 
remarkably fond of its flesh, which they consider a 
delicate viand, when it is dried in smoke ; they “ also 
feed, 35 says Cuvier, 66 upon the fat, entrails, and skin/ 
And Sir Thomas Brown, in his work published in 1686, 
after stating that “ many conceive the sperm whale to 
have been the fish which swallowed Jonas/ 5 also says, 
that “ Greenland inquirers seldom meet with a whale 
of this kind/ 3 
Whether this has been the case in former times, or 
not, I will not presume to determine ; I can only say, 
that I have now made many inquiries among several 
captains of ships who have been engaged in the Green- 
land fisheries, and not one of them ever saw a sperm 
