200 
APPENDIX. 
2d, A gun harpoon, with the rope secured to it by a 
ring, that slides on one of the circular rods, forming the 
shank. 
3d. A gun harpoon, with a bow line affixed to a collar. 
It is plain, from these representations, that the objec- 
tions to the' shape of the hand harpoon, if well founded, 
apply equally to all three. But there are many other ob- 
jections ; as it is not possible for any of these weapons to 
go in a direct line to the object, no precise aim can be 
taken with the gun ; nor will a gun that is to be fired 
from a swivel at the shoulder, admit, (because of the re- 
coil) of a sufficient charge of gunpowder, to propel a 
heavy instrument, — placed in the manner in which the 
harpoon now is, with the required rapidity to the required 
distance. 
In addition to the above defects, the velocity of these 
harpoons receives considerable check in the resistance oc- 
casioned by the rope affixed to the sliding collar ; the 
harpoon cannot be thrown directly point foremost, but will 
fly with some degree of curvature, which makes it conse- 
quently liable to take a bad position, and likewise to 
wound with the shank as well as the point, thereby mak- 
ing a wide cut, through which it is drawn without any 
considerable strain. It is also to be noted, that, in fasten- 
ing the line to the harpoon, there is no mediate connexion 
between the iron and the rope ; when the rope does not 
