84 
A VOYAGE TO SPITZBEBGEN. 
in the Thames is to be seen at Rosherville Gardens, 
somewhere down the river —that “ place to spend a 
happy day,” as we are led to believe by the advertise¬ 
ments at the railway stations. 
A few years ago much excitement was got np about 
the number of “ whales ” found in the neighbourhood 
of Kocal (Greenland), and companies were started to 
kill them, supposing them to be the right whale of com¬ 
merce. As might have been expected, they proved to 
be only “finners,” which prey on the immense quantity 
of cod which are found there. 
This whale is accounted almost worthless by the 
whalers, and on account of the small quantity of oil 
which it yields, and the difficulty of its capture, it is 
never attacked unless by mistake or through ignorance.. 
In Davis ? s Straits one was seen floating, dead 
to it the men rowed, taking it for a right whale, but 
on discovering their mistake they immediately aban¬ 
doned it. They had apparently not been the first, for 
on its sides were cut the names of several vessels 
which had paid it a visit, and did not consider it 
worth the carriage and fire to try out the oil. The 
blubber is hard and cartilaginous, not unlike soft 
glue. Its blowing can be distinguished at a distance 
by being whiter and lower than that of Balcena mysti - 
cetus. 
