PHEPARATIONS FOU THE FISHERY. 231 



tains its hold with better effect. After the stock 

 drops out, it is seklom lost, but still hangs on the 

 line by means of a loop of cord lixcd openly round 

 it, for the purpose of preventing the stock from float- 

 ing away. The foreganger is most commonly formed 

 of white or untarred rope, which is stronger and 

 niore flexible than tarred rope, consequently more 

 easily extended when the harpoon is thrown. Every 

 harpoon is stamped with the name of tlie ship to 

 which it belongs ; and when prepared for use, a 

 private mark, containing the name of the ship and 

 master, with the date of the year, v/ritten upon 

 leather, is concealed bencatli some rope-yarns wound 

 round the socket of the instrument, and the same 

 is sometimes introduced also into the foreganger. 

 These marks serve to identify the harpoons when 

 any dispute happens to arise relative to the claims of 

 different ships to the same fish, and have sometimes 

 proved of essential service, in deciding cases which 

 might otherwise have extended to vexatious litiga- 

 tion. A harpoon thus prepared with foreganger 

 and stock, is said to be " spanned in." In this 

 state, the point or mouth being very clean and 

 sharp, i^ preserved in the same condition by a shield 

 of oiled paper or canvas ; and the instrument, with 

 its appendages, laid up in a convenient place, ready 

 for being attached to tlie whale-lines in a boat when 

 wanted. 



