In the facility with which the enormous head
is projected, we see the wisdom of its immense
size; bulky as it 1s, the fluid oil with which it is
filled, rarefied by vital heat, renders it the most
buoyant part by far of the animal, being of itself
considerably lighter than the surrounding medium:
hence, little effort is required to project the
breathing orifice, on the summit of the muzzle,
into the air; while, again, the swiftness of the
animal is greatly increased by the removal of so
broad and bulky an extremity from the dense
fluid through which it is swimming. "O Lord! how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all.’’[1]
The Sperm-whale is found in all seas, but is most abundant in the Pacific, at some particular points of which herds are said to congregate periodically. The pursuit of this enormous animal forms an important branch of commercial enterprise, in which the bold seamen of the United States have the greatest share. The voyage commonly occupies three or four years, and is one of unexampled hazard and privation. Ships of three or four hundred tons are selected for this pursuit, strongly built, and manned with a crew of about thirty hands. A watch is stationed aloft immediately on leaving the port, although the prey is rarely met within the north Atlantic. This watch is never intermitted during the whole voyage, or at least until a full cargo is obtained. The watch, on the sight of a Sperm-whale, immediately communicates the welcome information by calling aloud in a peculiar tone, "There she spouts!" a cry which never fails to produce a general rush on deck of
- ↑ Psalm civ. 24,
