52 
VOYAGE TO GREENLAND. 
mother. Presently she arose close to the fast boat, 
and, seizing, the young one, dragged out of the 
boat about one hundred fathoms of line, Avith re- 
markable force and velocity ; again she arose to 
the surface, darted furiously to and fro, frequently 
stopped short and suddenly changed her direction, 
and gave every possible indication of extreme agony. 
For a length of time she continued to act thus, 
although closely pursued by the boats ; and, inspired 
with courage and resolution for the welfare of her 
offspring, seemed regardless of the dangers which 
surrounded herself. At length, one of the boats 
approached so near, that a harpoon was thrown at 
her : it struck, but did not attach itself ; a second 
was thrown ; this also failed ; but a third was more 
effectual, and yet she did not attempt to escape, 
but allowed three other boats to approach, so that, 
in a few minutes, three more harpoons were fastened? 
and in the space of an hour afterwards she was 
killed.’^ 
The young ones continue to suck for a year, dur- 
ing which period they are called by the sailors, short- 
heads. They are then extremely fat, and yield above 
thirty barrels of blubber. The mother, on the other 
hand, becomes at that time proportionately lean and 
emaciated. At the age of two years, the young are 
called stunts, as they do not thrive much immediately 
after quitting their parent ; they then yield scarcely 
above twenty or twenty-four barrels of blubber: 
after this they are called skull-jish, and their age is 
wholly unknown. Every species of whale propa- 
