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APPENDIX. 
weather, the capture of whales by the hand-harpoon is 
extremely uncertain ; even if the animal allows a boat to 
approach within eight or ten yards before it dives, how 
very doubtful must be the effect of the harpoon, when 
darted by the hand at such a distance. When it is con- 
sidered, how comparatively small the force of the strongest 
and most expert arm is ; that the harpoon is necessarily 
an instrument of considerable weight, in order to give it 
strength ; and that it is encumbered and retarded in its 
flight, by a train of thick rope ; what reasonable assurance 
can there be, that it will pierce deep enough to retain 
its hold against the violent efforts which the fish makes to 
disengage itself ? 
When a whale is so effectually stricken, that the har- 
poons hold, the pursuers are obliged to use long lances, 
as often as, on its rising to breathe, they can approach 
near enough to pierce it, that, by loss of blood, or wounds 
in its vitals, they may deprive it of that tremendous power, 
which it might otherwise use to free itself from the line. 
Now, I have reason for the opinion, that the gun-harpoon, 
which I propose, will at once wound the fish too deeply, to 
permit it to exert that astonishing strength, which it so 
often employs successfully in effecting its escape and occa- 
sioning the loss of lines and harpoons without number, 
sometimes of the boat itself, and not uofrequently of the 
lives of the crew. The favourite resort of Large Whales for 
security, instinct has taught them to choose near the edges 
of extensive bodies of close pack^ or compact patchy ice, 
* Path Ice is an assemblage of large pieces of ice in such 
quantities, that the extent of the mass cannot be discerned. The 
fragments of pack ice, though generally near each other, do not 
touch. 
t Patch Ice is composed of pieces overlapping or nearly joining 
