THE CALIFORNIA GRAY WHALE. 27 
passed through or along the edge of the kelp, where the gunners chose their own 
distance for a shot. This method, however, soon excited the suspicions of these 
sagacious creatures. At first, the ordinary whale-boat was used, lint the keen- 
eyed "Devil-fish" soon found what would lie the consequence of gelling loo near 
the long, dark-looking object, as il lav nearly niolionlcss, only rising and falling 
with Hie rolling swell. A very small boat- with one man to scull and another 
lo shoot — was then used, instead of the whale-boat. This proved successful for a 
time, hut, after a, few successive seasons, the animals passed farther seaward, and at. 
the present time the boats usually anchor outside the kelp. The mottled lish being 
seen approaching far enough oil' for I lie experienced gunner to judge nearly where 
the animal will "break water," the boat is sculled to that place, to await the 
"rising." If the whale "shows a good chance," it is frequently killed instantly, 
and sinks to the bottom, or receives its death-wound by the bursting of the homh- 
lance. Consequently, the stationary position or slow movement of the animal 
enables the whaler to get a, harpoon' into it before sinking. To the harpoon a line 
is attached, with a buoy, which indicates the place where the dead creature lies, 
should it, go lo the bottom. Then, in the course of twenty-four hours, or in less 
time, it rises to the surface, and is towed to the shore, the blubber taken otf and 
tried out in pots set for (hat purpose upon I he beach. 
Another mode of capture is by ships cruising off the laud and sending their 
boats inshore toward the line of kelp; and, as the whales work to the southward, 
the boats, being provided with extra, large sails, the whalemen take advantage of 
the strong northerly winds, and, running before the breeze, sail near enough to he 
able to dart the hand-harpoon into I he lish. "(Jetting fast" in this way, it is 
killed in deep water, and, if inclined lo sink, it can he held up by the boats till 
the ship conies up, when a, large "lluke-rope" is made fast, or the "tin-chain" is 
secured to one I'm, the " cut ling- laekle" hooked, and the whale "cut in" immedi- 
ately. This mode is called "sailing them down." Still another way of catching 
I hem is with "Greener's Harpoon dun," which is similar to a, small swivel-gun. 
If is of one and a half inch bore, three feet long in the barrel, and, when stocked, 
weighs seventy-five pounds. The harpoon, four feet and a, half long, is projected 
with considerable accuracy to any distance under eighty- four yards. The gun is 
mounted on the how of the boat. A variety of manoeuvres are practiced when 
using the weapon: at times the boat lying at anchor, and, again, drifting about for 
a chance-shot. When the animal is judged to be ten fathoms off, the gun is 
pointed eighteen inches below the back ; if fifteen fathoms, eight or ten inches 
below ; if eighteen or twenty fathoms distant, the gun is sighted at the top of its 
back. 
