This day, on board the Peacock, they witnessed a sea-fight between a
whale and one of its many enemies. The sea was quite smooth, and offered
the best possible view of the whole combat. First, at a distance from
the ship, a whale was seen floundering in a most extraordinary way,
lashing the smooth sea into a perfect foam, and endeavouring apparently
to extricate himself from some annoyance. As he approached the ship, the
struggle continuing and becoming more violent, it was perceived that a
fish, apparently about twenty feet long, held him by the jaw, his
contortions, spouting, and throes, all betokening the agony of the huge
monster. The whale now threw himself at full length from the water with
open mouth, his pursuer still hanging to the jaw, the blood issuing from
the wound and dyeing the sea to a distance around; but all his
flounderings were of no avail; his pertinacious enemy still maintained
his hold, and was evidently getting the advantage of him. Much alarm
seemed to be felt by the many other whales around. These "killers," as
they are called, are of a brownish colour on the back, and white on the
belly, with a long dorsal fin. Such was the turbulence with which they
passed, that a good view could not be had of them to make out more
nearly the description. These fish attack a whale in the same way as
dogs bait a bull, and worry him to death. They are armed with strong
sharp teeth, and generally seize the whale by the lower jaw. It is said
that the only part of them they eat is the tongue. The whalers give some
marvellous accounts of these killers, and of their immense strength;
among them, that they have been known to drag a whale away from several
boats which were towing it to the ship.