FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [8] 



The same author also says, in continuation of his account of the cap- 

 ture of the walrus, that "when they dart the harpoon at them, they 

 always take the opportunity to do it when he is precipitating himself 

 from the ice, or when he diveth with his head under water, for then his 

 skin is smooth and extended, and therefore the harpoon striketh through 

 the skin on his back the better; but when he lyeth and sleepeth, his 

 skin is loose and wrinkled, so that the harpoon doth not pierce the 

 skin, but falls off." 



Darting-gun Harpoon.— The main difference between the darting- 

 gun harpoon and the common toggle-iron is, that instead of terminating 

 in a socket for the handle or "pole," the former has a tapering blunt 

 point, which is intended to be placed, or, technically, "shij^s" into two 

 lugs on the barrel or lock-case of the darting-gun ; and also that it has 

 a projecting iron eye, or loop, welded to the shank near the butt, into 

 which one end of the iron-strap should be made fast. Further reference 

 will be made to this iron in connection with the darting-gun. 



(3) The HuarPBACK-lRON. — A toggle-iron of large proportions, in- 

 tended to be used only in raising sunk whales {Megaptera sp.) principally. 

 Harpoons of this character are of the average length. The shanks are 

 made of wrought iron, about 1 inch in diameter, and the heads or 

 toggles about 10 or lO.J inches long, or almost twice the length of the 

 ordinary toggle, and heavier. These irons are thrown into the "neck" 

 (properly speaking the whale has no neck) or into the region about the 

 spiracles of the humpback whale, where the blubber is exceedingly 

 tough, as this species almost always sinks when dead. The whale 

 remains at the bottom for two or three days, and becoming somewhat 

 buoyant by the gases generated by incipient decomposition, it is very 

 materially aided in making its reappearance upon the surface by the 

 whalemen in their boats, who haul upon the large lines which are 

 attached to the harpoons. 



(4) The Prussic-acid Harpoons. — These harpoons were used, to a 

 limited extent, to kill whales with prussic acid. The two instruments 

 of this character in this series, it is supposed, were made iu France and 

 brought to Nantucket as patterns by which others might be made and 

 introduced into the American fleet. The use of this kind of harpoon 

 was soon abandoned, as several of the crew of a French ship were 

 poisoned when handling the blubber of a whale killed by the acid. 

 Although instruments of this type were carried by several American 

 vessels, notably the ship "Susan," of Nantucket, and others, none of 

 them, so far as the record shows, have been used, the crews having been 

 deterred by the disastrous results experienced by the French. 



Poles, Straps, and Sheaths. — One end of a rough hickory pole, 

 oftentimes with the bark attached, is inserted into the socket of the 

 hand-harpoon. The shank at its junction with the socket, or the socket, 

 is served with rope yarn, to prevent iron-rust from affecting the iron- 

 strap. 



