Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-10-09
The Water Unicorn.

Among the near kindred of the whale is
the famous uncorn-not the companion of
the lion on the British coat-of- arms, but its
counterpart among the wonders Of the deep.
Inferior of size to the right whale, 1t has
the advantage of most formidable weapon,
with which nature has provided it for as
vet unknown purposes. This is the mon
strouS tooth which projects from the upper
law of the animal it is as large as Il mans
thigh at the base, turned in spiral, and
sharply pointed at the end /; hollow within,
il shows externally the finest and whitest
ivory known to the trade. The Narwah,
or nose whale was so called because the
Dutch, who seem to have had the Christen-
ing of most living things in northern re-
gions, at first took this horn, projecting
straight ahead. ten or even fifteen feet, for
grotesuue long nose. Some say the ami
NAL uses this odd appenGagc to pierce
holes through the ice when he comes up to
breathe; others, that he moves Off seaward
with it, by which he grazes There is no
doubt that, at times he transfXcs fish with
his gigantic stiletto, SO that he may be able
TO devour them ut leisure. The legend has
il, that king of Denmark, wishing TO
make somebody a present of piece ot the
horn of the unicorn-for such it was long
ConSidered-ordercd one of his high Off
cials tn cut off piece at the thicker end
of fine specimen which he possessed.
The officer did So. and To his astoniShment,
found what he had looked upon rs solid
horn was hollow, and in the conCavity he
discovered smaller horn of the same shape
and the same substance. The latter was
about foot long, and this resemblance to
the teeth of men first led, il is thought, To
the idea that the unicorn might after all be
nothing more than a gigantic tooth. In
those days however, the superstitlous
people attached marvellous power To the
wonderful horn, and brisk trade was car
| ried ON in fine specimens, and even III
broken fragments. The male alone pos
sesSes this formidable weapon; the female
having. instead, two small teeth, of little
use for the purpose of attack or defence.
In the male, however, one of these two, is
disproportionately developed, while the
other remains either Of diminutive size or
disappears gradually altogether, very much
rs in the case with the claws of certain
clustacee. AT first sight, it would appear
as if this giant OF the deep, with his ter
| ribe sword, would be the terror OF the seas,
killing and devouring all that come near To
| him. In reality, however, the narwhale is
! a very harmless animal, and generally his
own enemy more than that of others. His
mouth has no teeth, and immovahle lips,
and is So small that he can swallow little
else but molluSks and little fish; and
ScoreSbv, who found in the stomach OF one
of these strange beings ray of two feet in
length, came 10 the conclusion that the fish
must have been first tranStiXed by the tooth,
and killed before it was devoured. Other
wise il would have been difficult TO under
stand how an active fish should have
allowed itself to be caught by an animal
unable to seize it with the lips or retain 1t
with the tongue, and in mouth which
| had not even teeth TO tear it 10 pieces.
| Their swiftneSs, when they are alone, is
marvellous; and their capture would be
almost impossible if it were not for the
curious habit they have of travelling in inn
menSe troops, and of taking refuge in little
bays, from which they cannot easily escape.
Small boats approach them, in such cases,
with precaution the poor animals begin to
crowd upon each other; they press their
ranks so closely that soon their movements
are impeded, and their enormous weapons
become interlaced, as each ones tries Ia
raise the head high into the air. They Can
neither escape nor defend themselves, and
thus fall an easy prey to the lances of the
whaleman. 90