that Mr. D——­, (the other mate) might lance him.—­He struck him in a vital part the first dart, as was evident from the whale’s furious dying struggles; but in order to make sure, we hauled up and lanced the back of his head.  Foaming and breaching, he plunged from wave to wave, flinging high in the air torrents of blood and spray.  The sea around was literally a sea of blood.  At one moment his head was poised in the air; the next, he buried himself in the gory sea, carrying down, in his vast wake, a whirlpool of foam and slime.  But this respite was short; he rose again, rushing furiously upon his enemies; but a slight prick of a lance drove him back with mingled fury and terror.  Whichever way he turned, the barbed irons goaded him to desperation.  Now and again intensity of agony would cause him to lash the waters with his huge flukes, till the very ocean appeared to heave and tremble at his power.  Tossing, struggling, dashing over and over in his agony, he spouted up the last of his heart’s blood.  Half an hour before, he was free as the wave, sporting in all the pride of gigantic strength and unrivalled power.  He now lay a lifeless mass; his head towards the sun, his tremendous body heaving to the swell, and his destroyers proudly cheering over their victory.’”

EMMA.  “It seems very cruel to catch these poor creatures.”

MRS. WILTON.  “They are tortured as little as possible; but they are so strong, that it requires immense skill and bravery to contend with them.  Their usefulness justifies the act, for I know not what we should do without some of the comforts produced from these monsters of the deep.”

EMMA.  “What part does the oil come from?”

MR. BARRAUD.  “First, from the blubber which is the outer covering, or, as whalers call it, the ‘blanket-piece;’ this is stripped off by means of an ingenious contrivance, cut into pieces, and the oil boiled out.  Secondly, from the head, which is called the ‘case,’ and sometimes contains from ten to fifteen barrels of oil and spermaceti.  A sperm whale frequently yields as much as 120 barrels of oil.  Forty-five barrels is considered a medium size.”

GEORGE.  “I hope, when we go to Jamaica, we shall see some whales.”

MR. WILTON.  “No doubt we shall.  I have often seen them rolling and spouting in the wide Atlantic:  and you will also see the flying fish skimming in the hollows of the waves:  they are very pretty.”

GRANDY.  “Yes, they are, poor unfortunates! for, though possessing the qualifications of a bird as well as a fish, they are so persecuted by enemies in both elements, that, whether taking their temporary flight through the air, or gliding through the waters, their double faculty proves insufficient to defend or secure them from pursuit.”

CHARLES.  “What creatures war against these innocent fish, madam?”

GRANDY.  “While in the air the man-of-war bird pounces upon them; and they are chased in the water by the bonito and albacore:  thus constantly persecuted, they do not become very numerous.”