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SCIENTIFIC TRACTS.

NUMBER XVIII.

WHALE FISHERY.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

      There are many circumstances which unite to give interest to everything relating to the huge animal, the method of whose capture is to be the subject of the following Tract. We shall first briefly allude to some of these circumstances, and then proceed to describe in detail the animating scenes which are presented in these terrific conflicts between human ingenuity on the one hand and brute, but monstrous power, on the other.

      1. The Structure of the Whale. Most of the inhabitants of the sea breathe no air — their blood is cold — and their young is produced by spawn, which is always abandoned by the parent to the winds and waves. The family of cetaceous animals, however, have warm blood — they breathe the air — they produce living offspring, which they cherish and protect while young. These things occasion a great difference of structure. They breathe. Consequently, they are generally near the surface of the water, and often come to it to take breath, giving a sort of puff, from which the sailors have given them all the name of blowers. They are warn, blooded. They therefore have a thick coating of fat for clothing. It is for this clothing that they are chiefly valuable to man.

      2. The Commercial Importance of the Whale Fishery. A very' large amount of capital, both in the shape of money and of men, is employed in this trade, front this country. This amount, too, is increasing. And from present appearances it is probable that it will increase

still farther, both in this country and Europe. The parts of the animal are converted to a great variety of purposes. The flesh, though rejected by Europeans, is the principal food of many savage tribes on the coast of the northern seas. They construct, also, windows of some thin semitransparent membranes found in the animal; — they make weapons of war from the bones, and cords from the sinews. The chief articles of value, however, are the oil, and the whalebone, as it is called. This latter substance is not properly bone. It is found in laminae in the mouth of the animal, in the place of teeth.

      3. The very interesting Nature of the Fishery. The excitement, the danger, the magnitude of the object of the chase, conspire to throw an intensity of interest about this subject, which can be found in very few of the modes in which human ingenuity and enterprise are exerted.

      For the above reasons we shall present, chiefly from the writings of Capt. Scoresby, the universal authority on this subject, a full description of the whale fishery. Capt. Scoresby was a whalemen himself — and he united to the most favorable opportunities of observation, a mind admirably adapted to seize on the striking and prominent features of a scene, and to describe them with vividness and force.

INSTRUMENTS USED IN THE WHALE FISHERY.

      Whale Ships. The ships are fitted out for this pur pose with apparatus for taking the whale, cutting up the animal, and extracting the oil, and also with a large supply of casks to contain it. They sail so as to be upon the fishing stations in the northern latitudes, in the spring of the year.

      Whale Boats. A whale boat is constructed in such a manner that it differs in many important respects from other boats. It is lighter, — more easily turned, — it moves more swiftly. They are twenty or twenty-five feet long, and between five and six feet wide.

      Weapons. The chief weapon is the harpoon, of which the adjoining cut is a representation. The part marked m is call-

ed the mouth. It consists simply of a doubly barbed point. The slend:rr ,part, marked s, connecting this with the handle, is of very ductile iron, so as to bend and twist in any direction by the efforts of the whale, without breaking. A very flexible but strong rope is attached to the harpoon. It is of great length and one end is retained in the boat. In addition to the harpoon, there is a lance, which is a spear of iron, with a very sharp steel point. It is used for finally despatching the whale, after he is almost exhausted in the contest.

PROCEEDINGS ON FISHING STATIONS.

      Discovery of the Whale. On fishing stations, when the weather is such as to render the fishing practicable, the boats are always ready for instant service. Suspended from davits or cranes by the side of the ship, furnished with the requisite implements, two boats at least, the crews of which are always in readiness, can in a general way, be manned and lowered into the water, within the space of one minute of time.

      Wherever there is a probability of seeing whales, when the weather and situation are such as to present a possibility of capturing them, the crowsnest, as it is called, i. e. a station at the mast head, is generally occupied by the master or some of the officers, who, commanding from thence an extensive prospect of the surrounding sea, keeps with the assistance of a telescope, an anxious watch for the appearance of a whale. The moment that a fish is seen, he gives notice to the 'watch upon deck,' part of whom leap into a boat, are lowered down, and push off towards the place. If the fish be large, a second boat is immediately despatched to the support of the other. When the whale again appears — for if he has gone down he must soon come up again to breathe — two boats row towards it with the utmost speed; and though they may be disappointed in their attempts, they generally continue their pursuit until the fish either takes the alarm, and escapes them, or they are recalled by signal to the ship. When two or more fish appear at the same time in different situations, the number of boats sent in pursuit is in-

creased, and sometimes all the boats are sent out. During fine weather, in situations where whales are seen, or where they have recently been seen, or where there is a great probability of any making their appearance, a boat is generally kept in readiness, manned and afloat. If the ship sails with considerable velocity, this boat is towed by a rope astern; but when the ship is pretty still, whether moored to ice, laid to, or sailing in light winds, the 'bran boat,' as it is called, often pushes off to a little distance from the ship. A boat on watch commonly lies still in some eligible situation with all its oars elevated out of the water, but in readiness, in the hands of the rowers, for immediate use.

      The harpooner and boat steerer keep a careful watch on all- sides, while each of the rowers looks out in the direction of his oar. Thus the whole horizon is under close observation. In fishing near fields of ice, the boats approach the ice with their sterns, and are each of them fastened to it by means of a boat hook, or an iron spike with a cord attached, either of which is held by the boat steerer, and is slipped or withdrawn the moment a whale appears. There are several rules observed in approaching a whale, as precautions, to prevent, as far as possible, the animal from taking the alarm.

      As the whale is dull of hearing, but quick of sight, the boat steerer always endeavors to get behind it; and, in accomplishing this, he is sometimes justified in taking a circuitous route. In calm weather the greatest caution is necessary, before a whale can be reached; smooth, careful rowing, is always requisite, and sometimes sculling is practised.

      A whale seldom abides longer on the water than two minutes, and it generally remains from five, to ten or fifteen minutes under water. During this interval, it sometimes moves through a space of half a mile or more, and the fisher has very rarely any certain intimation of the place in which it will reappear. Consequently, the difficulty and address requisite to approach sufficiently near, during its short stay on the surface, to harpoon it, is very great.

      It is, therefore, a primary consideration with the har-

pooner, always to place his boat as near as possible to the spot, in which he expects the fish to rise, and he conceives himself successful in the attempt when the fish 'comes up within a start,' that is, within the distance of about two hundred yards.

      In all cases when a whale that is pursued, has but once been seen, the fisher is considerably indebted to what is called chance for a favorable position. But when the whale has been twice seen, and its change of place, if any, noticed, the harpooner makes the best use of the intimation derived from his observation on its apparent motion, and places his boat accordingly. Thus he anticipates the fish in its progress, so that when it rises to the surface, there is probability of its being within the favorable precincts of a start. A whale moving forward at a small distance beneath the surface of the sea, leaves a sure indication of its situation, in what is called an eddy,' having somewhat the resemblance of the wake' or track of a ship; and in fine calm weather, its change of position is sometimes pointed out by the birds, many of which closely follow it when at the surface, and hover over it when below, whose keener vision can discover it, when it is totally concealed from human eyes. By these indications many whales have been taken.

THE ATTACK AND PURSUIT.

      Whenever a whale lies on the surface of the water, unconscious of the approach of its enemies, the hardy fisher rows directly upon it, and an instant before the boat touches it, buries his harpoon in its back. But if while the boat is yet at a little distance, the whale should indicate his intention of diving, by lifting his head above the common level, and then plunging it under water,and raising its body until it appear like the large segment of a sphere, — the harpoon Is thrown from the hand, or fired from a gun, the former of which, when skilfully practised, is efficient at the distance of eight or ten yards, and the latter at the distance of thirty yards or upwards. The wounded whale, in the surprise and agony of the moment, makes a convulsive effort to escape. Then is the moment of danger. The boat is subjected to the most violent blows from its head

or its fins, but particularly from its ponderous tail, which sometimes sweeps the air with such tremendous fury, that both boat and men are exposed to one common destruction.

      The head of the whale is avoided, because it cannot be penetrated with the harpoon; but any part of the body, between the head and tail, will admit of the full length of the instrument, without danger of obstruction. The harpoon, therefore, is always struck into the back, and generally well forward towards the fins, thus affording the chance, when it happens to drag and plough along the back, of retaining its hold during a longer time, than when struck in closer to the tail.

      The moment that the wounded whale disappears, or leaves the boat, a jack Or flag, elevated on a staff, is displayed, on sight of which, those on watch in the ship, give the alarm, by stamping on the deck, accompanied by a simultaneous and continued shout of 'a fall.'^* At the sound of this, the sleeping crew are roused, jump from their beds, rush upon deck, with their clothes tied by a string in their hands, and crowd into the boats, with a temperature of zero. Should a fall occur, the crew would appear upon deck, shielded only by their drawers, stockings, and shirts, or other habiliments in which they sleep. They generally contrive to dress themselves, in part, at least, as the boats are lowered down; but sometimes they push off in the state in which they rise from their beds, row away towards the 'fast boat,' that is, the boat attached by its harpoon and line, to the whale, and have no opportunity to clothe themselves for a length of time afterwards. The alarm of 'a fall' has a singular effect on the feelings of a sleeping person, unaccustomed to the whale fishing business. It has often been mistaken for a cry of distress. A landsman in a Hull ship, seeing the crew, on the occasion of a fall, rush upon deck, with their clothes in their hands, when there was no appearance of danger, thought the men were all mad; but

with another individual, the effect was totally different. Alarmed with the extraordinary noise, and still more so, when he reached the deck, with the appearance of all the crew seated in the boats in their shirts, he imagined the ship was sinking. He therefore endeavored to get into a boat himself, but every one of them being fully manned, he was always repulsed. After several fruitless endeavors to gain a place among his comrades, he cried out, with feelings of evident distress, 'What shall I do? — will none of you take me in?'

      The first effort of a fast fish,' or whale that has been struck, is to escape. from the boat, by sinking under water. After this, it pursues its course directly downward, or reappears at a little distance, and swims with great celerity, near the surface of the water, towards any neighboring ice, among which it may attain an imaginary shelter; or it returns instantly to the surface, and gives evidence of its agony, by the most convulsive throes, in which its fins and tail are alternately displayed in the air, and dashed into the water with tremendous violence. The former behaviour, however, that is, to dive towards the bottom of the sea, is so frequent, in comparison of any other, that it may be considered as the general conduct of a fast fish.

      A whale struck near the edge of any large sheet of ice, and passing underneath it, will sometimes run the whole of the lines out of the boat, in the space of eight or ten minutes of time. This being the case, when the `fast boat' is at a distance, both from the ship and from any other boat, it frequently happens that the lines are all withdrawn before assistance arrives, and, with the fish, entirely lost. In some cases, however, they are recovered. To retard, therefore, as much as possible, the flight of the whale, it is usual for the harpooner, who strikes it, to cast one, two, or more turns of line round a kind of post, called a ballard, which is fixed within ten or twelve inches of the stern of the boat, for the purpose. Such is the friction of the line, when running round the ballard, that it frequently envelopes the harpooner in smoke; and if the wood were not repeatedly wetted, would probably set fire to the boat. During the capture

of one whale, a groove is sometimes cut in the ballard, near an inch in depth; and, were it not for a plate of brass, iron, or a block of lignum vita, which covers the top of the stem where the line passes over, it is apprehended that the action of the line on the material of the boat, would cut it down to the water's edge, in the course of one season of successful fishing. The approaching distress of a boat, for want of line, is indicated by the elevation of an oar, in the way of a mast, to which is added a second, a third, or even a fourth, in proportion to the nature of the exigence. The utmost care and attention are requisite, on the part of every person in the boat, when the lines are running out; fatal consequences having been sometimes produced by the most trifling neglect. When the line happens 'to run foul,' and cannot be cleared on the instant, it sometimes draws the boat under water; on which, if no auxiliary boat, or convenient piece of ice be at hand, the crew are plunged into the sea, and are obliged to trust to the buoyancy of their oars, or to their skill in swimming, for supporting themselves on the surface. To provide against such an accident, as well as to be ready to furnish an additional supply of lines, it is usual, when boats are sent in pursuit, for two to go out in company, and when a whale has been struck, for the first assisting boat which approaches, to join the fast boat, and to stay by it until the fish reappears. The other boats, likewise, make towards the one carrying a flag, and surround it at various distances, awaiting the appearance of the wounded whale.

      On my first voyage^* to the whale-fishery, such an accident, as above alluded to, occurred. A thousand fathoms of line were already out, and the fast boat was forcibly pressed against the side of a piece of ice. The harpooner, in his anxiety to retard the flight of the whale, applied too many turns of the line round the ballard, which getting entangled, drew the boat beneath the ice. Another boat, providentially, was at hand, into which the crew, including myself, who happened to be present, had just time to escape.

      The whale, with near two miles' length of line, was, in consequence of the accident, lost, but the boat was recovered. On a subsequent occasion, I underwent a similar misadventure, but with a happier result; we escaped with a little wetting into an accompanying boat, and the whale was afterwards captured, and the boat with its lines recovered.

      When fish have been struck by myself, I have on different occasions estimated their rate of descent. For the first 300 fathoms, the average velocity was usually after the rate of eight to ten miles per hour. In one instance, the third line of l20 fathoms was run out in sixty-one seconds; that is at the rate of eight and one sixth English miles, or seven and one eighth nautical miles per hour. By the motions of the fast boat, the simultaneous movements of the whale are estimated. The auxiliary boats, accordingly, take their stations about the situation where the whale, from these motions, may reasonably be expected to appear.

      The average stay under water, of a wounded whale, which steadily descends after being struck, according to the most usual conduct of the animal, is about thirty minutes. The longest I over observed was fifty-six minutes, but in shallow water, I have been informed, it has sometimes been known to remain an hour and a half at the bottom after being struck, and yet has returned to the surface alive. The greater the velocity, the more considerable the distance to which it descends, and the longer the time it remains under water, so much greater in proportion is the extent of its exhaustion and the consequent facility of accomplishing its capture. Immediately on its reappearing, the assisting boats make for the place with their utmost speed, and as they reach it, each harpooner plunges his harpoon into its back, to the amount of three, four, or more, according to the size of the whale, and the nature of the situation. Most frequently, however, it descends for a few minutes after receiving the second harpoon, and obliges the other boats to await its return to the surface, before any further attack can be made. It is afterwards actively plied with lances, which are thrust into its body, aiming at its vitals.

At length, when exhausted by numerous wounds and the loss of blood, which flows from the huge animal in copious streams, it indicates the approach of its dissolution, by discharging from its 'blowholes,' a mixture of blood along with the air and mucus which it usually expires, and finally jets of blood alone. The sea, to a great extent around, is dyed with its blood, and the ice, boats, and men, are sometimes drenched with the same. Its track is likewise marked by a broad pellicle of oil, which exudes from its wounds, and appears on the surface of the sea.

      Its final capture is sometimes preceded by a convulsive struggle, in which, its tail, reared, whirled, and violently jerked in the air, resounds to the distance of miles. In dying, it turns on its back or on its side, which joyful circumstance is announced by the capturers with the striking of their flags, accompanied by three lively huzzas!

      The remarkable exhaustion observed in the first appearance of a wounded whale at the surface, after a descent of 700 or 800 fathoms perpendicular, does not depend on the nature of the wound it has received, for a hundred superficial wounds received from harpoons, could not have the effects of a single lance penetrating the vitals, but is the effect of the almost incredible pressure to which the animal must have been exposed. The surface of the body of a large whale, may be considered as comprising an area of 1540 square feet. This, under the common 'weight of the atmosphere only, must sustain a pressure of 3,104,640 pounds, or 1386 tons. But at the depth of 800 fathoms, where there is a column of water equal in weight to about 154 atmospheres, the pressure on the animal must be equal to 211,200 tons. This is a degree of pressure of which we can have but an imperfect conception. It may assist our comprehension, however, to be informed, that it exceeds in weight sixty of the largest ships of the British navy when manned, provisioned, and fitted for a six months' cruise.

      Every boat fast to a living whale carries a flag, and the ship to which such boats belong, also wears a flag, until the whale is either killed or makes its escape.

These signals serve to indicate to surrounding ships the exclusive title of the 'fast ship,' to the entangled whale, and to prevent their interference, excepting in the way of assistance, in the capture. A very natural inquiry connected with this subject, is, what is the length of time requisite for capturing a whale? This is a question which can only be answered indirectly; for I have myself witnessed the capture of a large whale, which has been effected in twenty-eight minutes; and have also been engaged with another fish which was lost, after it had been entangled about sixteen hours. Instances are well authenticated, in which whales have yielded their lives to the lances of active fishers, within the space of fifteen minutes from the time of being struck; and in cases when fish have been shot with a harpoon-gun, in a still shorter period; while other instances are equally familiar and certain, wherein a whale having gained the shelter of a pack or compact patch of ice, has sustained or avoided every attack upon it, during the space of forty or fifty hours. Some whales have been captured when very slightly entangled with a single harpoon, while ethers have disengaged themselves, though severely wounded with lances, by a single act of violent and convulsive distortion of the body, or tremendous shake of the tail, from four or more harpoons; in which act, some of the lines have been broken with apparent ease, and the harpoons to which other lines were attached, either broken or torn out of the body of the vigorous animal. Generally, the speedy capture of a whale depends on the activity of the harpooners, the favorableness of situation and weather, and, in no inconsiderable degree, on the peculiar conduct of the whale attacked. Under the most favorable circumstances, namely, when the fishermen are very active, the ice very open, or the sea free from ice and the weather fine, — the average length of time occupied in the capture of a whale, may be stated as not exceeding an hour. The general average, including all sizes of fish, and all circumstances of capture, may probably be two or three hours.

      The method practised in the capture of whales, under favorable circumstances; is very uniform with all the fish-

ers of every nation. The only variation observable in the proceedings of the different fishers, consisting in the degree of activity and resolution displayed, in pursuance of the operations of harpooning and lancing the whale, and in the address manifested in improving by any accidental movement of the fish, which may lay it open to an effectual attack, — rather than in anything different or superior in the general method of conducting the fishery. It is true, that with some the harpoon-gun is much valued, and used with advantage, while with others, it is held in prejudiced aversion; yet, as this difference of opinion affects only the first attack and entanglement of the whale, the subsequent proceedings with all the fishers, may still be said to be founded on equal and unanimous principles. Hence, the mode described in the preceding pages, of conducting the fishery for whales under favorable circumstances, may be considered as the general plan pursued by the whalemen of all nations. Neither is there any difference in the plan of attack, or mode of capture between fish of large size, and those of lesser growth; the proceedings are the same, but, of course, with the smaller whales less force is requisite; though it sometimes happens that the trouble attached to the killing of a very small whale, exceeds that connected with the capture of one of the largest individuals. The progress or flight of a large whale cannot be restrained; but that of an under size fish may generally be confined within the limits of 400 to 600 fathoms of line. A full grown fish generally occupies the whole, or nearly the whole of the boats belonging to one ship in its capture, but three, four, or sometimes more small fish, have been killed at the same time, by six or seven boats. It is not unusual for small whales to run downward until they exhaust themselves so completely, that they are not able to return to the surface, but are suffocated in the water. As it is requisite that a whale that has been drowned should be drawn up by the line, which is a tedious and troublesome operation, it is usual to guard against such an event by resisting its descent with a light strain on the line, and also by hauling upon the line, the moment its descent is stopped, with a view of inducing it to re-

turn to the surface, where it can be killed and secured without further trouble. Seldom more than two harpoons are struck into an under size whale.

      The ease with which some whales are subdued, and the slightness of the entanglement by which they are taken, is truly surprising; but with others it is equally astonishing, that neither line nor harpoon, nor any number of each, is sufficiently strong to effect their capture. Many instances have occurred where whales have escaped, from four, five, or even more harpoons, while fish, equally large, have been killed through the medium of a single harpoon. Indeed, whales have been taken in consequence of the entanglement of a line, without any harpoon at all; though, when such a case has occurred, it has evidently been the result of accident. The following instances are in point.

      A whale was struck from one of the boats of the ship Nautilus in Davis's Straits. It was killed, and as is usual after the capture, it was disentangled of the line connected with the first 'fast-boat,' by dividing it within eight or nine yards of the harpoon. The crew of the boat from which the fish was first struck, in the meantime were employed in heaving in the lines, by means of a crank fixed in the boat for the purpose, which they progressively effected for some time. On a sudden, however, to their great astonishment, the lines were pulled away from them, with the same force and violence, as by a whale when first struck.

      They repeated their signal indicative of a whale being struck; their shipmates flocked towards them, and while every one expressed a similar degree of astonishment with themselves, they all agreed that a fish was fast to the line. In a few minutes, they were agreeably confirmed in their opinion, and relieved from suspense, by the rising of a large whale close by them, exhausted with fatigue, and having every appearance of a fast-fish. It permitted itself to be struck by several harpoons at once, and was speedily killed. On examining it after death, to discover the cause of such an interesting accident, they found the line, belonging to the above mentioned boat, in its mouth, where it was still firmly

fixed by the compression of its lips. The occasion of this happy and puzzling accident, was therefore solved; — the end of the line, after being cut from the whale first killed, was in the act of sinking in the water; the fish in question, engaged in feeding, was advancing with its mouth wide open, and accidentally caught the line between its extended jaws; — a sensation so utterly unusual as that produced by the line, had induced it to shut its mouth and grasp the line, which was the cause of its alarm, so firmly between its lips, as to produce the effect just stated. This circumstance took place many years ago, but a similar one occurred in the year 1814.

      A harpooner, belonging to the Prince of Brazil, of Hull, had struck a small fish. It descended, and remained for some time quiet, and at length appeared to be drowned. The strain on the line being then considerable, it was taken to the ship, with a view of heaving the fish up. The force requisite for performing this operation, was extremely various; sometimes the line came in with ease, at others, a quantity was withdrawn with great force and rapidity. As such, it appeared evident that the fish was yet alive. The heaving, however, was persisted in, and after the greater part of the lines had been drawn on board, a dead fish appeared at the surface, secured by several turns of the line round its body. It was disentangled with difficulty, and was confidently believed to be the whale they had struck. But when the line was cleared from the fish it proved to be merely the 'bight,' for the end still hung perpendicularly downward. What was then their surprise to find that it was still pulled away with considerable force. The capstan was again resorted to, and shortly afterwards, they hove up, also dead, the fish originally struck with the harpoon still fast. Hence it appeared, that the fish first drawn up, had got accidentally entangled with the line, and in its struggles to escape, had still further involved itself, by winding the line repeatedly round its body. The first fish entangled, as was suspected, had long been dead; and it was this lucky interloper, that occasioned the jerks and other singular effects observed on the line.

EXTRAORDINARY CASES.

      Hitherto I have only attempted to describe the method adopted for the capture of whales under favorable circumstances, such as occur in open water, or amongst open ice in fine weather. As however this method is subject to various alterations, when the situation and circumstances are peculiar, I shall venture a few remarks on the subject.

      1. Pack Fishing. The borders of close packs of drift ice, are frequently a favorite resort of large whales. To attack them in such a situation subjects the fisher to great risks in his lines and boats, as well as uncertainty in affecting their capture. When a considerable swell prevails on the borders of the ice, the whales on being struck, will sometimes recede from the pack, and become the prize of their assailers; but most generally flee to it for shelter, and frequently make their escape. To guard against the loss of lines as much as possible, it is pretty usual either to strike two harpoons from different boats at the same moment, or to bridle the lines of a second boat upon those of the boat from which the fish is struck. This operation consists in fixing other lines to those of the fast-boat at some distance from the harpoon, so that there is only one harpoon and one line immediately attached to the fish, but the double strength of a line from the place of their junction to the boats. Hence, should fish flee directly into the ice and proceed to an inaccessible distance, the two boats bearing an equal strain on each of their lines, can at pleasure draw the harpoon, or break the single part of the line immediately connected with it, and in either case, secure themselves against any considerable loss.

      When a pack, by its compactness, prevents boats from penetrating, the men travel over the ice, leaping from piece to piece, in pursuit of the entangled whale. In this pursuit they carry lances with them and sometimes harpoons, with which, whenever they can approach the fish, they attack it, and if they succeed in killing it they drag it towards the exterior margin of the ice, by means of the line fastened to the harpoon with which it is origi-

nally struck. In such cases, it is generally an object of importance to sink it beneath the ice; for effecting which purpose, each lobe of the tail is divided from the body, excepting a small portion of the edge, from which it hangs pendulous in the water. If it still floats, bags of sand, kedges or small cannon are suspended by a block on the bight of the line, wherewith the buoyancy of the dead whale is usually overcome. It then sinks, and is easily hauled out by the line into the open sea.

      To particularize all the variety of pack fishing arising from winds and weather, size of the fish, state and peculiarities of the ice, &c, would require more space than the interest of the subject, to general readers, would justify. I shall, therefore, only remark, that pack fishing is, on the whole, the most troublesome and dangerous of all others; — that instances have occurred of fish having been entangled during forty or fifty hours, and have escaped after all; — and that other instances are remembered, of ships having lost the greater part of their stock of lines, several of their boats, and sometimes, though happily, less commonly, some individuals of their crew.

      2. Field Fishing. The fishery for whales, when conducted at the margin of those wonderful sheets of solid ice, called fields, is, when the weather is fine and the refuge for ships secure, of all other situations which the fishery of Greenland presents, the most agreeable and sometimes the most productive. A fish struck at the margin of a large field of ice, generally descends obliquely beneath it, takes four to eight lines from the fast-boat, and then returns exhausted to the edge. It is then attacked in the usual way, with harpoons and lances, and is easily killed. There is one evident advantage in field fishing, which is this. When the fast-boat lies at the edge of a firm unbroken field, and the line proceeds in an angle beneath the ice, the fish must necessarily arise somewhere in a semicircle, described from the fast-boat as a centre, with a sweep not exceeding the length of the lines out; but most generally it appears in a line extending along the margin of the ice, so that the boats, when dispersed along the edge of the field, are effectual and as ready for promoting the capture, as twice

the number of boats or more, when fishing in open situations; because, in open situations the whale may arise anywhere within a circle, instead of a semicircle, described by the length of the lines withdrawn from the fast-boat. In consequence of this, it frequently happens that all the attendant boats are disposed in a wrong direction, and the fish, recovers its breath, breaks loose, and escapes before any of them can secure it by a second harpoon. Hence, when a ship fishes at a field, with an ordinary crew, and six or seven boats, two of the largest fish may be struck at the same time with every prospect of success, while the same force attempting the capture of two at once, in an open situation will, not unfrequently, occasion the loss of both. There have indeed been instances of a ship'S crew, with seven boats, striking at a field, six fish at the same time, and of success in killing the whole. Generally speaking, six boats at a field are capable of performing the same execution, as near twice that number in open situations. Besides, fields sometimes afford an opportunity of fishing, when in any other situation there can be little or no chance of success, or, indeed, when to fish elsewhere is utterly impracticable. Thus calms, storms, and fogs, are great annoyances in the fishery in general, and frequently prevent it altogether; but at fields the fishery goes on under any of these disadvantages. As there are several important advantages attending the fishery at fields, so, likewise, there are some serious disadvantages, chiefly relating to the safety of the ships engaged in the occupation. The motions of fields are rapid, various, and unaccountable, and the power with which they approach each other and squeeze every resisting object, immense, — hence occasionally vast mischief is produced, which it is not always in the power of the most skilful and attentive master to forsee and prevent.

      Thin fields, or fields full of holes, are usually avoided, because a 'fast fish,' retreating under such a field, can respire through the holes in the centre as conveniently as on the exterior; and a large fish usually proceeds from one hole to another, and if determined to advance cannot possibly be stopped. In this all that can be done is,

to break the line or draw the harpoon out. But when the fish can be observed 'blowing,' in any of the holes in a field, the men travel over the ice and attack it with lances, pricking it over the nose, to endeavor to turn it back. This scheme, however, does not always answer the expectation of the fishers, as frequently the fear of his enemies acts so powerfully on the whale, that he pushes forward to the interior, to his dying moment. When killed, the same means are used as in pack fishing, to sink it, but they do not always succeed; for the harpoon is frequently drawn out, or the line broken in the attempt. If, therefore, no attempt to sink the fish avails, there is scarcely any other practicable method of making prize of it, (unless when the ice happens to be so thin that it can be broken with a boat, or a channel readily cut in it with an ice saw,) than cutting the blubber away, and dragging it piece by piece, across the ice to the vessel, which requires immense labor and is attended with vast loss of time. Hence, we have a sufficient reason for avoiding such situations whenever fish can be found elsewhere. As connected with this subject, I cannot pass over a circumstance which occurred within my own observation, and which excited my highest admiration.

      On the 8th of July, 1813, the ship Esk, lay by the edge of a large sheet of ice, in which were several thin parts, and some holes. Here a fish being heard blowing, a harpoon, with a line connected to it, was conveyed across the ice, from a boat on guard, and the harpooner succeeded in striking the whale at the distance of 350 yards from the verge. It dragged out ten lines, (2400 yards) and was supposed to be seen blowing in different holes in the ice. After some time it happened to make its appearance on the exterior, when a harpoon was struck at the moment it was proceeding again beneath. About a hundred yards from the edge it broke the ice where it was a foot in thickness, with its crown, and respired through the opening. It then determinately pushed forward, breaking the ice as it advanced, in spite of the lances constantly directed against it. It reached, at length, a kind of basin in the field, where it floated on the surface of the water, without any incumbrance from

ice. Its back being fairly exposed, the harpoon, struck from the boat on the outside, was observed to be so slightly entangled that it was ready to drop out. Some of the officers lamented this circumstance, and expressed a wish that the harpoon were better fast; observing, at the same time, that if it should slip out, the whale would either be lost, or they would be under the necessity of cutting it up where it lay, and of dragging the pieces of blubber over the ice to the ship; a kind and degree of labor which every one was anxious to avoid. No sooner was the wish expressed, and its importance made known, than one of the sailors, a smart and enterprising fellow, stept forward and volunteered his services to strike it better in. Not at all intimidated by the surprise which was manifested in every countenance, by such a bold proposal, he pulled out his pocket knife, leaped upon the back of the living whale, and immediately cut the harpoon out. Stimulated by this courageous example, one of his companions proceeded to his assistance. "While one of them hauled upon the line and held it in his hands, the other set his shoulder against the extremity of the harpoon, and though it was without a stock, he contrived to strike it again into the fish more effectually than it was at first; the fish was in motion before they finished. After they got off its back it advanced a considerable distance, breaking the ice all the way, and survived this uncommon treatment ten or fifteen minutes. This admirable act was an essential benefit. The fish fortunately sunk spontaneously after being killed, on which it was hauled out to the edge of the ice by the line, and secured without further trouble. It proved a stout whale, and an acceptable prize.

      Fishing in Crowded Ice or in Open Packs. — In navigable open drift ice, or among small detached streams and patches, either of which serve in a degree to break the force of the sea, and to prevent any considerable swell from arising, we have a situation which is considered as one of the best possible for conducting the fishery in; consequently, it comes under the same denomination as those favorable situations, in which I have first attempted to describe the proceedings of the fishers

in killing the whale. But the situation I now mean to refer to, is, when the ice is crowded and nearly close; so close, indeed, that it scarcely affords room for boats to pass through it, and by no means sufficient space for a ship to be navigated among it. This kind of situation occurs in somewhat open packs, or in large patches of crowded ice, and affords a fair probability of capturing a whale, though it is seldom accomplished without a considerable degree of trouble. When the ice is very crowded, and the ship cannot sail into it with propriety, it is usual to seek out for a mooring to some large mass of ice, if such can be found, extending two or three fathoms or more under water.

      A piece of ice of this kind, is capable not only of holding the ship 'head-to-wind,' but also to windward of the smaller ice. The boats then set out in chase of any fish which may be seen; and when one happens to be struck, they proceed in the capture in a similar manner as when in more favorable circumstances, excepting so far as the obstruction which the quality and arrangement of the ice may offer, to the regular system of proceeding. Among crowded ice, for instance, the precise direction pursued by the fish is not easily ascertained, nor can the fish itself be readily discovered on its first arrival at the surface, after being struck, on account of the elevation of the intervening masses of ice, and the great quantity of line it frequently takes from the fast-boat. Success in such a situation, depends on the boats being spread widely abroad, and on a judicious arrangement of each boat, or a keen look out on the part of the harpooners in the boat, and on their occasionally taking the benefit of a hummack of ice, from the elevation of which the fish may sometimes be seen 'blowing' in the interstices of the ice; or pushing or rowing the boats with the greatest imaginable celerity, towards the place where the fish may have been seen; and, lastly, on the exercise of the highest degree of activity and despatch in every proceeding.

      If these means be neglected, the fish will generally have taken his breath, renewed his strength, and removed to some other quarter, before the arrival of the boats; and it is often remarked, that if there be one part of the

      ice more crowded or more difficult of access than another, it commonly retreats thither for refuge. In such cases, the sailors find much difficulty in getting to it with their boats; having to separate many pieces of ice before they can pass through between them. But when it is not practicable to move the pieces, and when they cannot travel over them, they must either drag the boats across the intermediate ice, or perform an extensive circuit, before they can reach the opposite side of the close ice into which the whale has retreated. A second harpoon, in this case, as indeed in all others, is a material point. They proceed to lance whenever a second harpoon is struck, and strike more harpoons as the auxiliary boats progressively arrive at the place.

      Fishing in Storms. Except in situations sheltered from the sea by ice, it would be alike useless and presumptuous to attempt to kill whales during a storm. Cases, however, occur, wherein fish that were struck during fine weather, in winds which do not prevent the boats from plying about, remain entangled, but unsubdued, after the commencement of a storm. Sometimes the capture is completed, at others, the fishers are under the necessity of cutting the lines, and allowing the fish to escape. Sometimes, when they have succeeded in killing it, and in securing it during the gale, with a hawser to the ship, they are enabled to make a prize of it on the return of moderate weather; at others, after having it to appearance secured, by means of a sufficient rope, the dangerous proximity of a pack of ice constrains them to cut it adrift and abandon it, for the preservation of their vessel. After thus being abandoned, it becomes the prize of the first who gets possession of it, though it be in the face of the original captors. A storm commencing while the boats are engaged with an entangled fish, sometimes occasions serious disasters. Generally, however, though they suffer the loss of the fish, and perhaps some of their boats and materials, yet the men escape with their lives.

      Fishing in Foggy Weather. The fishery in storms, in exposed situations, can never be voluntary, as the case only happens when a storm arises subsequent to the time

of a fish being struck; but in foggy weather, though occasionally attended with hazard, the fishery is not altogether impracticable. The fogs which occur in the icy regions in June and July, are generally dense and lasting. They are so thick, that objects cannot be distinguished at the distance of 100 or 150 yards, and frequently continue for several days without attenuation. To fish with safety and success, during a thick fog, is, therefore, a matter of difficulty, and of still greater uncertainty. When it happens that a fish conducts itself favorably, that is, descends almost perpendicularly, and on its return to the surface remains nearly stationary, or moves round in a small circle, the capture is usually accomplished without hazard or particular difficulty; but when on the contrary it proceeds with any considerable velocity in a horizontal direction, or obliquely downwards, it soon drags the boats out of sight of the ship, and shortly so confounds the fishers in the intensity of the mist, that they lose all traces of the situation of their vessel. If the fish, in its flight, draws them beyond the reach of the sound of a bell or a horn, their personal safety becomes endangered; and if they are removed beyond the sound of a cannon, their situation becomes extremely hazardous, especially if no other ships happen to be in the immediate vicinity. Meanwhile, whatever may be their imaginary or real danger, the mind of their commander must be kept in the most anxious suspense, until they are found; and whether they may be in safety, or near perishing with fatigue, hunger, and cold, so long as he is uncertain, his anxiety must be the same. Hence it is, that feelings excited by uncertainty, are frequently more violent and distressing, than those produced by the actual knowledge of the truth.

      Such are the methods by which, according to Scoresby, this monster of the deep is compelled to submit to the very far inferior force of man. The dangers attending this occupation have a peculiar effect upon those engaged in it. They awaken in their breasts a most ardent interest in the employment. The excitement produced by the chace, and the congratulation and enjoyment resulting from the victory, are scarcely equalled by any other

human pursuit. It must be remembered that the capture of every whale shortens the voyage. The ship is to remain upon the station until her cargo is completed; and of course the sailor sees in every victory, that the time of his return to country and home draws nigh. This consideration produces no trifling effects, as we may easily conceive, by taking into consideration the length and the distance of the voyages.

      Besides, it is, in this country we believe, the uniform practice to allow every sailor a share of the cargo for his pay. This makes the business a common cause. In fact, it would probably be difficult or impossible to manage so laborious and hazardous a business, with any proper degree of spirit, in any other way. Upon this plan of allowing each sailor a regular share of the profits, each one considers every captured whale as in part his property. He pursues him with the spirit and energy which a man feels who is toiling for himself, and during the return voyage he feels the interest of an owner in the ship and cargo. He is joint owner. The valuable commodities which his skill and courage have procured, are in part his property and he inquires with eager interest, on his landing, into the state of the market, — the price of the whalebone and oil; for the pecuniary result of the voyage, to him, is not decided till the cargo is sold. So completely does the system identify the interest of the sailor with the final success of the enterprise.

      In a future number we may pursue this subject, by describing the processes in this business, subsequent to the capture of the whale.

SCIENTIFIC TRACTS.

NUMBER XXIV.

WHALE FISHERY.

[Continued.]

      In a former number, we described the ordinary process of attacking and capturing a whale. In continuation of the general subject, we proceed to devote the few pages of the present volume which remain, to a description of some particular incidents, which Scoresby narrates, and which farther illustrate the business, — and to an account of the manner, by which the oil is extracted.

INTERESTING INCIDENTS.

      On the twenty-fifth of June, 1812, one of the harpooners belonging to the Resolution, under my command, struck a whale by the edge of a small floe of ice. Assistance being promptly afforded, a second boat's lines were attached to those of the fast-boat,^* in a few minutes after the harpoon was discharged. The remainder of the boats proceeded to some distance, in the direction the fish seemed to have taken. In about a quarter of an hour, the fast-boat, to my surprise, again made a signal for lines. As the ship was then within five minutes' sail, we instantly steered towards the boat, with the view of affording assistance, by means of a spare boat, we still retained on board. Before we reached the place, howevv, we observed four oars displayed in signal order,

which, by their number, indicated a most urgent necessity for assistance. Two or three men were, at the same time, seated close by the stern, which was considerably elevated, for the purpose of keeping it down, — while the bow of the boat, by the force of the line, was drawn down to the level of the sea, — and the harpooner, by he friction of the line round the bollard, was enveloped in smoky obscurity. At length, when the ship was scarcely 100 yards distant, we perceived preparations for quitting the boat. The sailors' pea-jackets were cast upon the adjoining ice, — the oars were thrown down, — the crew leaped overboard, — the bow of the boat was buried in the water, — the stern rose perpendicular, and then majestically disappeared. The harpooner, having caused the end of the line to be fastened to the iron ring at the boat's stern, was the means of its loss; and a tongue of the ice, on which was a depth of several feet of water, kept the boat, by the pressure of the line against it, at such a considerable distance, as prevented the crew from leaping upon the floe. Some of them were, therefore, put to the necessity of swimming for their preservation, but all of them succeeded in scrambling upon the ice, and were taken aboard of the ship a few minutes afterwards. I may here observe, that it is an uncommon circumstance for a fish to take more than two boats' lines in such a situation; — none of our harpooners, therefore, had any scruple in leaving the fast-boat, never suspecting, after it had received the assistance of one boat, with six lines or upwards, that it would need any more.

      'Several ships being about us, there was a possibility that some persons might attack and make a prize of the whale, when it had so far escaped us, that we no longer retained any hold of it. We, therefore, set all the sail the ship could safely sustain, and worked through several narrow and intricate channels in the ice, in the direction I observed the fish had retreated. After a little time, it was descried by the people in the boats, at a considerable distance to the eastward; a general chase immediately commenced, and in the space of an hour three harpoons were struck. We now imagined the fish

was secure, but our expectations were premature. The whale resolutely pushed beneath a large floe, that had, recently been broke to pieces by the swell, and soon drew all the lines out of the second fast-boat, the officer of which, not being able to get any assistance, tied the end of his line to a hummock of ice, and broke it.

      'Soon afterwards, the other two boats, still fast, were dragged against the broken floe, when one of the harpoons drew out. The line of only one boat, therefore, remained fast to the fish, and with six or eight lines, out, was dragged forward into the shattered flue with astonishing force. Pieces of ice, each of which was sufficiently large, to have answered the purpose of mooring a ship, were wheeled about by the strength of the whale; and such was the tension and elasticity of the line, that whenever it slipped clear of any mass of ice, after turning it round, into the space between any two adjoining pieces, the boat and its crew flew forward through the creek, with the velocity of an arrow, and never failed to launch several feet upon the first mass of ice it encountered.

      'While we scoured the sea, around the broken floe with the ship, and while the ice was attempted in vain by the boats, the whale continued to press forward in an easterly direction toward the sea. At length, when fourteen lines, (about 1680 fathoms,) were drawn from the fourth fast-boat, a slight entanglement of the line, broke it at the stem. The fish again made its escape, taking along with it a boat and twenty-eight lines. The united length of the lines was 6720 yards, or upwards of three and three fourths English miles; value, with the boat, above 150 pounds sterling.

      'The obstruction of the sunken boat to the progress of the fish must have been immense, and that of the lines, likewise considerable, the weight of the lines alone being thirty=five hundred weight.

      'So long as the fourth fast-boat, through the medium of its lines, retained its hold of the fish, we searched the. adjoining sea with the ship in vain; but, in a short time after the line was divided, we got sight of the object of pursuit, at the distance of near two miles to the eastward of the ice and boats, in the open sea.

      'One boat only with lines, and two empty boats were reserved by the ship. Having, however, fortunately fine weather, and a fresh breeze of wind, we immediately gave chase under all sail; though, it must be confessed, with the insignificant force by us, the distance of the fish, and the rapidity of its flight considered, we had but very small hopes of success. At length, after pursuing it five or six miles, being at least nine miles from the place where it was struck, we came up with it, and it seemed inclined to rest after its extraordinary exertions. The two dismantled, or empty boats having been furnished with two lines each, (a very inadequate supply,) they, together with the one in a good state of equipment, now made an attack upon the whale. One of the harpooners made a blunder, the fish saw the boat, took the alarm, and again fled. I now supposed it would be seen no more; nevertheless, we chased nearly a mile in the direction I imagined it had taken, and placed the boats, to the best of my judgment, in the most advantageous situations. In this case we were extremely fortunate. The fish rose near one of the boats, and was immediately harpooned. In a few minutes, two more harpoons entered its back, and lances were plied against it with vigor and success. Exhausted by its amazing exertions to escape, it yielded itself at length to its fate, received the piercing wounds of the lances without resistance, and finally died without a struggle. Thus terminated with success, an attack upon a whale, which exhibited the most uncommon determination to escape from its pursuers, seconded by the most amazing strength of any individual, whose capture I ever witnessed. After all, it may seem surprising that it was not a particularly large individual; the longest lamina of whalebone only measuring nine feet six inches, while those affording twelve feet bone are not uncommon. The quantity of line withdrawn from the different boats engaged in the capture, was singularly great. It amounted, altogether, to 10,440 yards, or nearly six English miles; of these, thirteen new lines lost, together with the sunken boat; the harpoon connecting them to the fish, having dropped out before the whale was killed.

      'After having taken a large circuit with the ship Esk,

in the open sea in search of whales, we saw two or three individuals, when at the distance of about twenty miles from the middle hook of the Foreland. The weather was fine, and no ice in sight. A boat was despatched towards one of the fish we saw, which was immediately struck. The men were already considerably fatigued, having been employed immediately before in a laborious work, but they of course, proceeded in the boats to the chase of the fast fish. It had made its appearance before they all had left the ship. Three boats then approached it, unluckily at the same moment. Each of them so incommoded the other, that no second harpoon could be struck. The fish then took the alarm, and ran off towards the east, at the rate of about four miles per hour; some of the boats gave chase, and others took hold of the fast-boat, and were towed by it to windward. When two boats, by greater exertions on the part of their crews, had got very near the fish, and the harpooners were expecting every moment to be able to strike it, it suddenly shifted its course under water, and in a few minutes discovered itself in a southerly direction, at least half a mile from any boat. It then completed a circuit round the fast-boat, with the sweep of nearly a mile as a radius, and though followed in its track by the boats, it dived before any of them got near it, and evaded them completely. When it appeared again, it was at least half a mile to windward of any of them, and then Continued arduously advancing in the same direction. At various times during the pursuit, the boats having the most indefatigable crews, reached the fish within ten or fifteen yards, when apparently aware of their design, it immediately sunk and changed its course; so that it invariably made its next appearance in a quarter where no boats were near.

      'The most general course of the whale being towards the wind, it soon withdrew all the boats many miles from the ship, notwithstanding our utmost efforts, under a press of sail, to keep near them.

      'After six or seven hours' pursuit, without success, the sky became overcast, and we were suddenly enveloped for some time in the obscurity of a thick fog. In

this interval the boats were alt moored to the fast-boat, the men being fearful of being dispersed; but on the disappearing of the fog, the pursuit was recommenced with renewed vigor. Still the harpooners were not able to succeed. They were now convinced of the necessity of using every measure to retard the flight of the fish. For this purpose, they slacked out nine lines, a weight in air of eleven hundred weight, while the crew of the fast-boat endeavored farther to retard his progress, by holding their oars firmly in the water, as if in the act of backing the boat astern. But this plan did not succeed. They then lashed two or three boats with their sides to the stern of the fast-boat, and these were dragged broad side first, with little diminished velocity for some time. But the fish at length, feeling the impediment, suddenly changed its course, and again disappointed the crews of two of the boats, which had got extremely near it.

      Several times the harpooners seized their weapons, and were on the point of launching them at the fish, when in an instant it shot from them with singular velocity and disappeared. In this way the chase was continued for fourteen hours, when the fish turned again towards the wind. But the men were exhausted by such continued exertion, together with the hard labor to which They had been previously subjected, at the same time being without meat or drink, and sparingly sheltered from the inclemency of the weather.

      'By this time -we had reached the boats with the ship. The wind had increased to a gale, and a considerable sea had arisen. We had no hope, therefore, of success. As, however, we could not possibly recover the lines at this time, stormy as the weather was, we applied a cask as a buoy to support them, and moored an empty boat having a jack flying in it, to the cask with the intention of keeping near it during the storm, and with the expectation of recovering our lines, and a faint hope likewise of gaining the fish after the termination of the gale. The boat was then abandoned. We made an attempt to keep near the boat with the ship, but the increasing force of the gale, drove us, in spite of every effort away.

On the first cessation of the storm, we made all sail towards the boat, succeeded in finding it, recovered boat and line, but lost the fish.

      'On the twenty-eighth of May, 1817, the Royal Bounty, of Leith, Captain Drysdale, fell in with a great number of whales in the latitude of 77° 25' N., and longitude 5° or 6° E. Neither ice or land was in sight, nor was there supposed to be either one or the other, within fifty or sixty miles. A brisk breeze of wind prevailed, and the weather was clear. The boats were, therefore, manned and sent out in pursuit. After a chase of about , five hours, the harpooner commanding a boat, who, with another in company, had rowed out of sight of the ship, struck one of the whales. This was about four o'clock in the morning, of the twenty-ninth.

      'The captain supposing, from the long absence of the two most distant boats, that a fish had been struck, directed the course of the ship towards the place where he had last seen them, and about eight o'clock in the morning, be got in sight of a boat, which displayed the signal for being fast. Some time afterwards, he observed the other boat approach the fish, a second harpoon struck, and the usual signal displayed. As, however, the fish dragged the two boats away with considerable speed, it was mid-day before any assistance could reach them. Two more harpoons were then struck, but such was the vigor of the whale, that although it constantly dragged through the water from four to six boats, together with 16,000 fathoms of line, which it had drawn out of the different boats, yet it pursued its flight nearly as fast as a boat could row, and such was the terror it manifested on the approach of its enemies, that whenever a boat passed beyond its tail, it invariably dived. All their endeavors to lance it were, therefore, vain. The crews of the loose boats, being unable to keep pace with the fish, caught hold of and moored themselves to the fast-boats, and for some hours afterwards, all hands were constrained to sit in idle impatience, waiting for some relaxation in the speed of the whale. Its most general course had hitherto been to windward, but a favorable change taking place, enabled the ship, which had previously been

at a great distance, to join the boats at eight in the afternoon. They succeeded in taking one of the lines to the ship, which was made fast to the ship, with a view of retarding its flight. They then furled the top-gallant sails, and lowered the top-sails; but after supporting the ship a few minutes head to wind, the wither of the harpoon upset, or twisted aside, and the instrument was disengaged from its grasp. The whale immediately set off toward the windward with increased speed, and it required an interval of three hours before the ship could again approach it. Another line was then taken on board, which immediately broke. A fifth harpoon had previously been struck, to replace the one which was pulled out, but the line attached to it was soon afterwards cut. They then instituted various schemes for arresting the speed of the fish, which occupied their close attention nearly twelve hours. But its velocity was yet such, that the master, who had himself proceeded to the attack, was unable to approach sufficiently near to strike a harpoon. After a long chase, however, he succeeded in getting hold of one of the lines, which the fish dragged after it, and of fastening another line to it; the fish then turned fortunately towards the ship, which was at a considerable distance.

      'At four o'clock, in the afternoon of the thirtieth, thirty-six hours after the fish was struck, the ship again joined the boats; when, by a successful manoeuvre, they secured two of the fast lines on board. The wind blowing a moderately brisk breeze, the top-gallant sails were taken in, the principal sails hauled up, but, notwithstanding the resistance a ship thus situated must offer, she was towed by the fish, directly towards the quarter from whence the wind blew with the velocity of a least one and half or two knots, during an hour and a half. And then, though the whale must have been greatly exhausted, it beat the water with its fins and tail in so tremendous a way, that the sea around was in a continual foam, and the most hardy of the sailors scarcely dared to approach it. At length, about eight o'clock in the afternoon, after forty hours of almost incessant, and for the most part fruitless exertions, this formidable and astonishingly vi-

gorous animal was killed. The capture and the lensing occupied forty-eight hours. The fish was eleven feet bone, (the length of the longest lamina of whale-bone,) and its produce filled forty-seven butts, or twenty=three and a half ton casks with blubber.

      'Excepting when it has its young under its protection, the whale generally exhibits remarkable timidity of character.

PROCEEDINGS AFTER A WHALE IS KILLED.

      'The first operation performed on a dead whale, is to secure it to a boat. The more difficult operation of freeing the whale from the entanglement of the lines is attempted. As the whale, when dead, always lies on its back, or on its side, the lines and harpoons are generally far under water. When they pass obliquely downward, they are hooked with a grapnel, pulled to the surface and cut. But when they hang perpendicularly, or cannot be seen, they are discovered by a process, called "sweeping a fish." On one occasion, I was engaged in the capture of a fish, upon which, when to appearances dead, I leaped, cut holes in the fins, and was in the act of passing a rope through them, when the fish sunk beneath my feet. As soon as I observed this, I made a spring towards a boat at the distance of three or four yards from me, and caught hold of the gunwale. I was scarcely on board before the fish began to move forward, turned entirely over, reared its tail, and began to shake it with such prodigious violence, that it resounded through the air to the distance of two or three miles. After two or three minutes of this violent exercise, it ceased, rolled over upon its side, and died.

      'In the year 1816, a fish was to all appearance killed. The fins were partly lashed, the tail on the point of being secured, the lines, excepting one, were cut away, the fish lying meanwhile, as if dead. To the astonishment and alarm, however, of the sailors, it revived, began to move, and pressed forward in a convulsive agitation; soon after it sunk in the water to some depth, and then died. One line remained attached to it, by which it was drawn up

and secured. After a fish is properly secured, it is carried towards the ship. All the boats join themselves in a line, by ropes carried for the purpose, and unite their efforts in towing the fish towards the ship. The course of the ship is directed towatds the fish, unless in calms, or where the ship is moored to the ice, at no great distance, or when the situation of the fish is inconvenient or inaccessible, when the ship is obliged to wait the approach of the fish. When the fish is secured to the ship. the operation of flensing is performed. For this a variety of knives and other instruments are requisite. The enormous weight of a whale prevents the possibility of raising it more than one fourth or fifth part out of the water.

PROCESS OF FLENSING, i.e. REMOVING THE BLUBBER.

      'Before the harpooners descend upon the fish their feet are furnished with spurs, to prevent their slipping. The blubber, in pieces of half a ton each, is received on deck, and being divided there into portable, cubical, or oblong pieces, containing near a solid foot of fat, and passed down between decks, when it is packed in a receptacle provided for it in the hold. As the fish is turned round, every part of the blubber becomes necessarily uppermost and is removed. When sharks are present, they generally help themselves very plentifully, during the progress of the flensing; but they often pay for their temerity with their lives. Fulmars, a species of bird of prey, pay close attendance in immense numbers. They seize fragments of the fish disengaged by the knife, while they are swimming in the water, but most of the other gulls, take their share on the wing. The burgomaster is decidedly the master of the feast; hence every bird is obliged to relinquish the most delicious morsel, when the burgomaster descends to claim it.

      'In flensing, the harpooners are annoyed by the surge, and repeatedly drenched in water, and are likewise subject to be wounded by the breaking of ropes, or hooks, or tackles, and even by strokes from each other's knives. The harpooners not unfrequently fall into the fish's

mouth, when it is exposed by the removal of a surface of blubber, where they might easily be drowned, but for prompt assistance.

      'I was once witness of a circumstance, in which a harpooner was exposed to the most imminent risk of his life, by a very curious accident. The harpooner stood on one of the jaw bones of the fish, with a boat by his side. In this situation, while he was in the act of cutting away the carcass of the fish, a boy inadvertently struck the point of the boathook, by which he usually held the boat, through the ring of the harpooner's spur, and in the same act, seized the jaw bone of the fish with the same instruments, and thus, the poor harpooner was pinned to the fish. The carcass was disengaged, and began to sink. The harpooner threw himself towards the boat, but being entangled by the foot, he fell into the water. Providentially he caught hold of the boat with both hands, but being overpowered by the sinking mass, he was on the point of relinquishing his grasp, when some of his companions got hold of his hands, while others threw a rope round his body. The carcass of the fish Was now suspended entirely by his body. He remained in this dreadful state, until means were adopted for drawing it back to the surface of the water.'

      The process of extracting the oil from the blubber thus procured, is a simple one. The blubber, which is a sort of solid fat, is exposed in large boilers to the action of heat, and the oil is separated. Sometimes this is done on board the ships at sea, — at other times the blubber, previously cut into small pieces, is stowed in casks, and is brought home in this state, that it may be tried out more conveniently on shore.

      The whale fishery is a very important branch of the business of this country. The chief towns from which it is carried on are Nantucket and New Bedford. There are in the former fifty manufactories of oil and candles. There are now sixty-two ships belonging to the port, and six ships are building for the whaling business. The value of this fleet as fitted for sea amounts to about 2,000,000 dollars.

"Whale Fishery."
      Scientific Tracts, designed for instruction and entertainment, and adapted to Schools, Lyceums, and Families.
Conducted by Josiah Holbrook, and others.
Vol. I, No. 18 (pp.425-575), &
Vol. I, No. 24 (pp.565-575)
Boston: Carter, Hender, and Babcock, 1831

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