430 WHALE FISHERY. 



or its fins, but particularly from its ponderous tail, which 

 sometimes sweeps the air with such tremendous fury, 

 that both boat and men are exposed to one common- de- 

 sliuction. 



The head of the whale is avoided, because it cannot 

 be penetrated with the harpoon ; bat any part of the 

 body, between the head and tail, will admit of the full 

 length of the instrument, without danger of obstruction. 

 The harpoon, therefore, is always struck into the back, 

 and generally well forward towards the fins, thus afford- 

 ing the chance, when it happens to drag and plough along 

 the back, of retaining its hold during a longer time, than 

 when struck in closer to the tail. 



The moment that the wounded whale disappears, or 

 leaves the boat, a jack o'r flag,jelevated on a staff, is dis- 

 played, on sight of which, those on watch in the ship, 

 give the alarm, by stamping on the deck, accompanied 

 by a simultaneous and continued shout of ' a fall.'* A;. 

 the sound of this, the sleeping crew are roused, jump 

 from their beds, rush upon deck, with their clothes tied 

 by a string in their hands, and crowd into the boats, with 

 a temperature of zero. Should a fall occur, the crew 

 would appear upon deck, shielded only by their drawers, 

 stockings, and shirts, or other habiliments in which they 

 sleep. They generally contrive to dress themselves, in 

 part, at least, as the boats are lowered down ; but some- 

 times they push off in the state in which they rise from 

 their beds, row away towards the Mast boat,' that is, the 

 boat attached by its harpoon and line, to the whale, and 

 have no opportunity to clothe themselves for a length of 

 time afterwards. The alarm of ' a fall ' has a singular 

 effect on the feelings of a sleeping person, unaccustomed 

 to the whale fishing business. It has often been mistak- 

 en for a cry of distress. A landsman in a Hull ship, see- 

 ing the crew, on the occasion of a fall, rush upon deck, 

 with their clothes in their hands, when there was no ap- 

 pearance of danger, thought the men were all mad ; but 



* The word ' fall,' as well as many others used in the fishery, if 

 dc-rived from the Dutcli language. In the original it is written val, 

 implying jump, drop, fall, and is considered expressive of the con- 

 duct of the sailor.-', when manning the boats, on an occasion requiring 

 extreme despatch. 



