Theorized Tusk Uses
The precise purpose of the narwhale’s ivory horn remains uncertain. Unlike the sword-fish or bill-fish, it does not appear to serve as a weapon. Some sailors believe it functions as a rake for turning over the sea bottom to find food. Charley Coffin suggested it serves as an ice-piercer, with the narwhale thrusting its horn upward to break through polar sea ice. The narrator offers a humorous alternative theory that it would be convenient for reading pamphlets, though acknowledges none of these theories can be proven.
Narwhale Colloquial Names
The narwhale is known by several colloquial names: the Tusked whale, the Horned whale, and the Unicorn whale. It represents a curious example of unicornism found throughout nearly every kingdom of animated nature.
Historical Narwhale Horn Significance
Ancient texts record that the sea-unicorn’s horn was highly valued as a great antidote against poison, commanding immense prices. It was also distilled into volatile salts for fainting ladies, similar to how deer horns are manufactured into hartshorn. The horn itself was considered an object of great curiosity. Sir Martin Frobisher reportedly presented a prodigious narwhale horn to Queen Elizabeth I upon his return from a voyage, which hung in Windsor Castle. An Irish author noted that the Earl of Leicester similarly presented another horn belonging to a land beast of unicorn nature.
Narwhale Appearance and Habitat
The narwhale displays a picturesque, leopard-like appearance with a milk-white ground colour marked by round and oblong black spots. Its oil is superior in quality—clear and fine—though sparse in quantity. The species is rarely hunted and inhabits primarily the circumpolar seas.
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