The female, during pregnancy, which is about nine or ten months, is very fat; and the cub, when excluded, is black, and about ten feet long. It continues at the breast for a year. To suckle her young, the mother throws herself upon one side on the surface of the water; she is frequently seen carrying it on her back, and when she has occasion to go to the bottom, takes it with her under one of her fins. Whalebone was formerly an article of great value in commerce, and at one time sold for £600 per ton. It is not now, however, worth a twentieth part of that sum, and is not an object of any attention to the whale fishers. We may remark, that, by an old feudal law, the _tail_ of all whales belonged to the Queen,[28] as a perquisite to furnish her Majesty’s wardrobe with whalebone. A strong proof of the ignorance that had at that time prevailed respecting this animal. [28] Blackstone, vol. i. p. 223. Edit. 1783. The flesh of the whale is variously prepared by the Greenlanders, and is used either when newly catched, or when sub-putrid. The skin, tail, and fins, they eat raw; the blubber is used either as food, or in lamps; they dress the intestines like those of the seal. The tendons serve them as thread for nets. The bones serve as timber for roofing their houses, and other domestic purposes; and fishing-rods of the best quality are made from the whalebone.[29] [29] Compare Fab. de Bal. Myst. with Arrian, Hist. Ind. § 29 and 30. The common whale, notwithstanding its magnitude, swims with surprising agility, and generally against the wind. The flat position of its tail enables it to ascend suddenly to the surface of the water to breathe, which it is frequently obliged to do. Whales are very harmless and timid; but, when attacked, frequently strike the boats a dangerous blow with their tails, in which their greatest strength lies. About midsummer, when they begin to couple, they are very wild, and difficult to catch, unless harpooned during copulation,[30] or when found sleeping on the water. [30] _Congreditur corpore erecto, capite supra aquam prominente._ Faun. Groenl. loc. cit. Their fidelity to each other is said to be very great. Anderson tells us, that having struck one of two whales, a male and female, that were in company, the wounded fish made a long and terrible resistance; it struck down a boat with three men in it, with a single blow of the tail, by which all went to the bottom: The other fish attended its companion, and lent it every assistance, till, at last, the fish that was struck, sunk under the number of its wounds; while its faithful associate, disdaining to survive the loss, stretched itself upon the dead fish, and shared its fate.