The ocean / By P. H. Gosse.

  • Gosse, Philip Henry, 1810-1888.
Date:
[pref. 1845]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The ocean / By P. H. Gosse. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    puted a very cautious fish,) has left his sword in the hull of a ship. The Foxhound, a South Sea whaler, was cruising in the Pacific in 1817, wdien one day, wdien most of the crew were below at dinner, a loud splashing was suddenly heard in the sea by a New7 Zealander on deck, who, on looking over the side, saw a large dark body sinking, and immediately gave the alarm of a man overboard. The crew, however, were found to be complete, and the occurrence passed over. Soon after, one of the men observed a rugged object projecting from the vessel’s side, which, on examination, proved to be the snout of a Sword-fish, with part of the head attached ; broken off by the fracture of the skull. On the vessel’s arrival at Sidney, the pro- jecting part was sawn off, after vain endeavours to extract the weapon; and at the conclusion of the voyage, the pierced wood was taken out and placed in the British Museum. It is worthy of observation that, with very few exceptions, the immense population of the ocean is carnivorous. The principal circumstance that re- gulates the choice of diet among fishes, seems to be the power of mastery. Of terrestrial creatures, a very large number are peaceful, never, under or- dinary circumstances, willingly taking the life of even the most helpless around them ; but the sea is a vast slaughter-house, where nearly every inha- bitant dies a violent death, and finds a grave in the maw of his fellow. We have just seen the Sword- fish preying upon the Albacore, and the Albacore upon the Flying-fish ; while the Flying-fish itself,