126 WHALE-LAND AND ITS CUSTOMS. 



mother shows every mark of fondness for her 

 offspring, and the little one, in itself of slight 

 value, is sometimes harpooned and drawn along- 

 side a boat that the mother may be induced to 

 follow. Suckling is done at the surface, mother 

 and baby rolling from side to side that each 

 may breathe in turn. 



There is no essential difference in the manner 

 in which the most highly civilized people and 

 the rudest tribes prosecute whale fishery. Both 

 approach the animal in boats, and attack it by 

 harpoons to which lines are affixed, following up 

 and repeating the attack until the strength of 

 the whale is exhausted and it is obliged to 

 succumb. 



The most simple harpoon used in whale fishery 

 is a spear about three feet long, with a flattened 

 point, which has sharp edges and two large 

 flattened barbs. These harpoons are attached 

 to long lines. 



.Many improvements have been made in whale 

 fishery tools. As much depends upon the blade- 

 like edges of the harpoon's barbs as their power 

 to hold when in. Many ingenious devices of 

 movable barbs have been contrived which close 

 on the shaft of the instrument when entering the 

 animal's side, and open outward as soon as there 



