WHALES AND WHALING 801 



water lashed to the side of the vessel. As has been 

 previously explained, the modern whaler tows his 

 catch to a whaling station, where the whale is slowly 

 hauled up on the flensing-slip by means of a steam 

 winch. The blubber, which lies just 'under the skin, 

 is first stripped off in long strips and ^cut up into 

 small pieces. The head is chopped off and 'the whole 

 of the meat stripped off in four huge pieces. Finally 

 the bones are cut up and hoisted to huge boilers. 



In Japan, Norway, and certain other countries 

 where beef is scarce, fresh whale meat is generally 

 eaten. During the World War some whale meat was 

 used in the United States and Canada as a substi- 

 tute for beef and mutton. Most 'of the fresh whale 

 meat was marketed in the large cities of the Pacific 

 coast, although some was sold in New York and 

 other Eastern cities. It even found its way to the 

 tables of some of the large hotels, but it was more of 

 a curiosity than a staple article of diet. 



Whale meat is prepared for market by cutting 

 the enormous strips of meat into chunks weighing 

 about forty-five pounds each, which are then chilled 

 and packed into boxes. Some whale meat is canned 

 in much the same way as beef, and some is salted. 

 Pickled whale tails are an Oriental delicacy and 

 command a high price. Many whale tails are pickled 

 in salt brine on the Pacific coast of the United 

 States and exported to Japan. 



Whale steak is similar in appearance to beef, 

 although it is darker and somewhat coarser grained. 

 Its taste resembles that of venison, although it 

 would not be mistaken for it. The meat of the 



