WHALE. 
125 
blow taking place would effectually destroy its ad- 
versary : but the sword-fish is as active as the other 
is strong, and easily avoids the stroke; then bounding 
into the air, it falls upon its great subjacent enemy, 
and endeavours not to pierce with its pointed beak, 
but to cut with its toothed edges *. The sea all 
about is seen dyed with blood, proceeding from the 
wounds of the whale ; while the enormous animal 
vainly endeavours to reach its invader, and strikes 
with its tail against the surface of the water, making 
a report at each blow louder than the noise of a 
cannon.” 
The tail is of an amazing size, and of a semilunar 
shape ; the animal uses it with great effect in ac- 
celerating the motion of its enormous body, which, 
notwithstanding its bulk, passes through the water 
with great rapidity, and leaves behind it a track like 
that made by a large ship. 
A strong instance of the affection of these crea- 
tures for each other is related by Anderson. A 
party of whale fishers having harpooned one of two 
whales, (a male and female, that were in company 
together,) the wounded fish made a long and terrible 
resistance ; it struck down a boat with three men 
in it with a single blow of the tail, by which all 
went to the bottom. The other still attended its 
companion and lent it every assistance, till, at last, 
the fish that was struck sunk under the number of 
* This must be a mistake, as the sword-fish always attacks its 
enemy with the point of its sword-shaped snout, the edges of 
which are not toothed. 
