232 
MARINE MAMMALS OF THE NORTH-WESTERN COAST. 
on the lookout calls out, "There she blows;" if breaching, he calls out, "There she 
breaches;" if turning flukes, he reports, "There goes flukes." Instantly the officer 
of the deck, or the captain, inquires, "Where away?" when he is immediately 
answered, "Right ahead," or "On the beam," or "Two points on the beam," or 
quarter, as the case may be. The next question is, "How far off?" which is quickly 
answered. If near by, should it be calm weather, all hands are called, the ship is 
hauled aback, if necessary, and the boats are immediately dropped into the water 
for the chase ; if a long distance off, and a good breeze is blowing, all sail is set 
to reach the locality of the object of pursuit before lowering. The capture being 
made (should there be a commanding breeze), the ship is run alongside the whale; 
or if it be calm, the animal is towed to the vessel. Then the fluke -chain or fluke- 
rope is fastened (as at A, in the diagram showing the manner of cutting- in the 
Blubber -hook and Fin -chain. 
Bowhead and Right Whale), and is then hauled in through the fluke -chain chock, 
which is at the bow, and well secured to the sampson-post, the head of the animal 
being toward the stern. The cutting- tackles, which comprise two heavy purchases, 
are then sent aloft, and shackled to chain or rope pendants at the mainmast- 
head, where they are placed in position by rope guys from the foremast -head, and 
the falls of the cutting-tackles are then taken forward to the windlass. The cut- 
ting-stage, which is so constructed as to admit of the officers standing upon it 
immediately over the carcass when using the cutting- spades, is put over the side 
and lowered into position; meanwhile, the rest of the cutting- gear is being got in 
readiness, which consists of toggles, spades, boarding and leaning knives, gaffs, 
pikes, blubber -hooks, head -straps, fin -chain, throat -toggle, head -axes, etc. If the 
prize be a Right Whale, or Bowhead, the fin -chain is put on the fin, as at B (in 
