Page:Journal of a Voyage to Greenland, in the Year 1821.djvu/262

208 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 considered, 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 harpoons 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 occasioning the loss of lines and harpoons without number, sometimes of the boat itself, and not unfrequently 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 patch ice,