ble to imagine a death more
awfully sudden and unexpected. The invisible bullet could not
have effected more instantaneous destruction. The velocity of
the whale at its first descent is from thirteen to fifteen feet
per second. Now, as this unfortunate man was adjusting the line
at the water's very edge, where it must have been perfectly
tight, owing to its obstruction in running out of the boat, the
interval between the fastening of the line about him and his
disappearance could not have exceeded the third part of a second
of time, for in one second only he must have been dragged ten or
twelve feet deep. Indeed, he had not time for the least
exclamation; and the person who saw his removal observed that it
was so exceeding quick that, though his eye was upon him at the
moment, he could scarcely distinguish his figure as he
disappeared.

"As soon as the crew recovered from their consternation, they
applied themselves to the needful attention which the lines
required. A second harpoon was struck from the accompanying
boat, on the rising of the whale to the surface, and some lances
were applied; but this melancholy occurrence had cast such a
damp on all present that they became timid and inactive in their
subsequent duties. The whale, when nearly exhausted, was allowed
to remain some minutes unmolested, till, having recovered some
degree of energy, it made a violent effort and tore itself away
from the harpoons. The exertions of the crews thus proved
fruitless, and were attended with serious loss.

"A harpooner belonging to the 'Henrietta,' of Whitby, when
engaged in lancing a whale into which he had previously struck a
harpoon, incautiously cast a little line under his feet that he
had just hauled into the boat, after it had been drawn out by
the fish. A painful stroke of his lance induced the whale to
dart suddenly downward. His line began to run out from under his
feet, and in an instant caught him by a turn round his body. He
had but just time to cry out, 'Clear away the line! Oh, dear!'
when he was almost cut asunder, dragged overboard, and never
seen afterward. The line was cut at that moment, but without
avail. The fish descended to a considerable depth and died, from
whence it was drawn to the surface by the lines connected with
it and secured."

Whaling has al