212 ZOOLOGY. 



The chie,f danger to be apprehended in this operation 

 is the sudden access of water to the highly heated oil ; 

 as may occur from the hasty introduction of wet blubber, 

 or the sudden approach of heavy rain : the powerful 

 ebullition thus excited in the oil causing it to escape 

 from the boilers and communicate with the fires be- 

 neath, when the whole may become ignited, and the 

 ship be placed in imminent peril. On this account? 

 the produce of many whales is liable to be lost by a 

 long continuance of rains ; and heavy, though transient, 

 showers often render it necessary to extinguish the 

 fires and cease boiling. 



From the coolers, adjoining the try-works, the boiled 

 oil is transferred to casks, and permitted to remain on 

 deck until sufficiently cool to be added to the cargo, 

 when it is pumped out of the first casks, and conducted 

 through a hose, either into the tanks, or into other 

 casks, already deposited and well secured in the hold. 

 Seventy barrels of oil have been boiled in thirty hours, 

 which is perhaps the shortest time in which that labour 

 could be performed. Three days is about the average 

 time occupied in " cutting in" and obtaining the clear 

 oil of a whale of the largest size. 



when the latter, alarmed at her flaming appearance, approached within 

 hail, and demanded of the crew what they were about. The master of 

 the whale-ship replied that they were trying : "Trying!" repeated the 

 commander of the man-of-war, somewhat puzzled at the explanation, 

 " trying what, sir ? to set your ship on fire ?" 



