[ 43 * 
darting a whale, till they are within a yard, or di* 
redly above her ; and there they are fo much afraid 
of being dafh’d to pieces, that they often mifs good 
Opportunities, tho’ they feldom meet with any fo 
tame. They frequently fee forty whales within 
thirty yards of their boats, but cannot ftrike one, 
unlefs it be fleeping, or fuckling its young ones* 
Hence the bad fuccefs, and neceffity of giving a pre- 
mium to indemnify the adventurers. Hence we alfo 
lee, that a machine, which would projed a harpoon 
thirty yards with fufficient force and proper direc- 
tion, muft give a chance for giving thirty whales for 
one in the common way. 
Several machines have been propofed to anfwer 
this end, but have all prov’d abortive. The crofs-* 
bow was try’d, but was too weak, and fubjed to 
break with the froft in. thofe cold climates. 
Gunpowder was next applied, I am told with no 
better fuccefs ; for, befides the difficulty of applying 
it to throw thofe heavy bodies in the form of darts, 
efpecially fuch, as muft carry a rope along with them, 
it frightens all the whales from the place, where it 
is fired, either by the light, or by the explofion, 
which it produces 5 perhaps, both ways ; but I ima* 
gine, more by the found than the light ; for, in the 
fummer-time, there is in thofe parts a continual day 
for feveral months, fo that a flafti would not be re- 
markable. I know it is doubted by the beft phyfio- 
logifts, that fifties can hear, or that water, being in- 
compreffible, can propagate fonorous undulations be- 
low the furface. Notwithftanding the feveral inge- 
nious experiments, that prove water incompreffible, 
yet there are feveral fads, that feem to contradid 
that 
