DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70266#0247
1HE MONSTROUS NON-DESCRIRT.
217
adds to the appearance of its bulk, is the uncommon height
of the dorsal, or back fin, as this measured a perpendicular
of five feet, tapering towards the top from a base of about
three feet wide. The upper part of the head and the eyes,
in proportion to the enormous width of mouth, forms a most
singular contrast, as the latter, though without any jav
bone, contains 4000 teeth, arranged in nine rows placed at
the extreme rein of the mouth, and turning inwards like a
curve. Its eyes appear very near the extremity of the nose,
and its nostrils are directly under them. The snout, with
which it seems to have sought its food, bears some small
resemblance to that of a hog—And exclusive of two lower
fins, the under part of this extraordinary inhabitant of the
deep, is supported by two feet placed nearly in the center of
its body, consisting of solid flesh, about five feet long, the
divisions of each extremity being also provided with a fang
or claw, not unlike the tusk of a boar, and strong webbed
between—as to appearance, the legs are much stronger than
the hinder part of an ox. It should have been observed,
that his two fins, viz. one on each side, grow near his body
on each side of these limbs or feet. His tail from point to
point was 8 feet but the hindermost, or lowTer orifice, un-
like the mouth, is remarkably small. A part of his gills,
which are preserved, appear like a brown comb; and pre-
vious to wet or dark weather, become very pliable, and of a
black colour—and what is the most surprising, in all this
cumbrous and unwieldy body, there is but one bone, viz.
that of the vertebrae or back, which runs from the nose to
the uppermost extremity of the tail. This animal is sup-
posed to have fed upon sea-weeds, as nearly five pails full of
them, and them only, were found in the carcass, when it
was first opened.—Its liver only, produced four hogsheads of
oil; and hence its excessive weight, added to the vigour of
its dying exertions, after having received seventeen balls
from the Greyhound Cutter, rendered it necessary for the*
VOL. V. F f
217
adds to the appearance of its bulk, is the uncommon height
of the dorsal, or back fin, as this measured a perpendicular
of five feet, tapering towards the top from a base of about
three feet wide. The upper part of the head and the eyes,
in proportion to the enormous width of mouth, forms a most
singular contrast, as the latter, though without any jav
bone, contains 4000 teeth, arranged in nine rows placed at
the extreme rein of the mouth, and turning inwards like a
curve. Its eyes appear very near the extremity of the nose,
and its nostrils are directly under them. The snout, with
which it seems to have sought its food, bears some small
resemblance to that of a hog—And exclusive of two lower
fins, the under part of this extraordinary inhabitant of the
deep, is supported by two feet placed nearly in the center of
its body, consisting of solid flesh, about five feet long, the
divisions of each extremity being also provided with a fang
or claw, not unlike the tusk of a boar, and strong webbed
between—as to appearance, the legs are much stronger than
the hinder part of an ox. It should have been observed,
that his two fins, viz. one on each side, grow near his body
on each side of these limbs or feet. His tail from point to
point was 8 feet but the hindermost, or lowTer orifice, un-
like the mouth, is remarkably small. A part of his gills,
which are preserved, appear like a brown comb; and pre-
vious to wet or dark weather, become very pliable, and of a
black colour—and what is the most surprising, in all this
cumbrous and unwieldy body, there is but one bone, viz.
that of the vertebrae or back, which runs from the nose to
the uppermost extremity of the tail. This animal is sup-
posed to have fed upon sea-weeds, as nearly five pails full of
them, and them only, were found in the carcass, when it
was first opened.—Its liver only, produced four hogsheads of
oil; and hence its excessive weight, added to the vigour of
its dying exertions, after having received seventeen balls
from the Greyhound Cutter, rendered it necessary for the*
VOL. V. F f