NEW ZEALAND WHALING 251 



Fin whale sinks. The carcase is then towed back to the whaHng station tail foremost 

 alongside the ship. 



The Norwegian method is not suitable for use in the narrow Tory Channel and 

 the shallow bays around the Queen Charlotte Sound where the Humpback whales 

 are found. Mr Perano uses three fast motor launches, 34 ft. long and capable of 

 maintaining a speed of 30 to 40 knots (Plate XI, fig. 2). These boats can be stopped or 

 turned almost within their own length. Each has a light harpoon gun (i| in. bore) 

 mounted in the bows (Plate XII, fig. 3). The harpoon is similar to that used by the 

 Norwegians but much lighter in build (Plate XII, fig. 4). It has slightly curved barbs 

 and the cast iron grenade is triangular in section. The harpoon line, which is con- 

 siderably lighter than that used by the Norwegians in their steam catchers, is coiled 

 in the stern of the launch and pays out from that position when the shot is fired. The 

 explosion of the grenade stuns but does not kill the whale. After the shot the launch 

 is brought up close to the whale and the body is inflated with air in the Norwegian 

 manner. After inflation the whale is finally despatched by inserting into the thorax 

 ventrally a long lance with a hollow cast iron head. The head is filled with a pound 

 and a half of gelignite which is exploded within the whale's thorax by means of an 

 electric detonator. The carcase is then towed back to the station tail foremost at the 

 stern of the launch. 



Mr Perano and his two sons encamp during the season on a headland overlooking 

 Cook Strait, where they keep a look-out for whales spouting. As soon as one is sighted 

 they put out in pursuit of it in their launches which are anchored below. When Mr 

 Perano 's station was first established there was, for some years, a rival station on the 

 other side of Tory Channel, and Mr Perano told the writer of races between the boats 

 of the rival stations for the same whale. These trials of skill were frequently attended 

 with great risk and damage sometimes occurred, nor did the fact that the other station 

 was owned by Mr Perano's brother diminish the keenness of their rivalry. 



The above method of pursuit and capture is very successful for the chase of the 

 Humpback or Southern Right whale, especially within a confined space such as the 

 Tory Channel, but Mr Cook, who works more in the open sea around the Bay of 

 Islands, has been more successful with the steam chaser. Southern Right whales can 

 be towed easily by the launches since they float when dead. Humpbacks float just long 

 enough to enable them to be inflated with the small gear available. Blue and Fin 

 whales apparently sink almost immediately and have to be towed back along the 

 bottom of the channel with great difficulty. 



The factory plant itself at Te-Awaiti (Plate XII, fig. 2) is very small. There are two 

 pressure boilers, a small flensing slip and three storage tanks. The capturing and 

 dismemberment of the whales and the general work of the station is done by Mr Perano 

 and his two sons, with the assistance of a small staff of Maoris. Only the blubber of 

 the whale is used and the oil is sold in Australia, where it is used mostly in the manu- 

 facture of hemp rope. 



It is, perhaps, not out of place to conclude this short account by recording two 



