FISHES. 341 
The skin of a Whale is frequently found to be eighteen 
or twenty inches thick of blubber ; which yields fifty or 
sixty puncheons of oil, each puncheon containing seventy- 
four gallons; and the upper jaw yields about six hundred 
pieces of whalebone, most of which are about twelve feet 
long, and six or eight inches broad ; the whole produce 
of a Whale being worth one thousand pounds, sometimes 
more or less according to the size of the animal. Whilst 
the men are at work on the back of the Whale they have 
spurs on their boots, with two prongs, which come down 
on each side of their feet, lest they should slip, the back of 
the Whale being very slippery. All the ships have orders 
to quit the North Seas by the 24th of June, for then the 
Whales begin to be very mischievous. 
When the Whale feeds, it swims with considerable ve- 
locity below the surface of the sea, with its jaws widely 
extended. A stream of water consequently enters its 
mouth, carrying along with it immense quantities of 
cuttle-fish, sea-blubber, shrimps, and other small marine 
animals. The water escapes at the sides ; but the food is 
entangled, and, as it were, sifted by the fringe of Whale- 
bone within the mouth ; this kind of strainer is rendered 
necessary by the very small gullet, which in a Whale of 
sixty feet long, does not exceed four inches in width. The 
sailors say that a penny-loaf would choke a Whale. 
The Whale bellows fearfully when wounded or in dis- 
tress; and its young is called a cub. 
