22O The Story of the New England Whalers 



The bomb lance to be fired from a shoulder 

 gun was invented by Robert Allen, also of Nor- 

 wich, Connecticut. It was merely a long metal 

 tube, filled with powder and fired by means of a 

 time fuse. As it was fired from a smooth-bore 

 gun, and was unprovided with wings or feathers 

 of any kind to keep it travelling end-on, it was 

 quite likely to strike the whale "broadside to," 

 and fail to penetrate far enough. It was not 

 only ineffective in such circumstances, but it was 

 likely to prove dangerous to the whalemen by 

 exploding as it lay on the surface of the whale, 

 and throwing pieces of the metal in all directions. 



In 1852, however, Brand improved the bomb 

 by giving it feathers such as the Indians used to 

 affix to their arrows, only rubber was used in- 

 stead of feathers from a fowl. As thus improved, 

 the bombs are now used. 



A curious accident occurred in connection with 

 the use of the bomb harpoon of Norway. In 

 1895 a dead whale, into which more than one 

 harpQon had been fired, was brought alongside 

 the little steamer on which the gun was mounted. 

 The steamer was to tow it to the beach near the 



