In fact, most of the accidents that happen to whalemen occur when the wounded monster is lashing the water in blind terror and agony.
The whale has three bitter enemies, much smaller, but much bolder than himself, and of these he is terribly afraid.

They are: the swordfish, the thrasher, and the killer.

The first of these, the sword-fish, has a strong straight horn or sword projecting from his snout, with which he boldly attacks and pierces the whale.

The thrasher is a strong fish, twenty feet long, and of great weight.

Its method of attack is to leap out of the water on the whale's back, and deal it a tremendous blow with its powerful tail.
The sword-fish and thrasher sometimes act together in the attack; the first stabbing him below, and the second belabouring him above, while the whale, unable, or too frightened to fight, rushes through the water, and even leaps its whole gigantic length into the air in its endeavours to escape.