WHALING 535 



Bottlenose oil fell to 257. per ton that year, and now hardly 

 any but Norwegians follow this fishing. The fish also have 

 become very scarce. 



Before concluding this part of the chapter on Whaling, 

 the writer wishes to thank Messrs. Robert Kidd & Co., of 

 Peterhead, for their assistance. If any readers care to try 

 whaling, they cannot do better than get the advice and aid of 

 these gentlemen. 



AMERICAN WHALERS 



For Arctic fishing Americans generally employ strongly 

 protected steamers, much like the Scotch whaling vessels ; but 

 a good deal of ocean fishing is done by boats from the shore 

 and ships of all descriptions, from schooners upwards. These 

 vessels are generally provided with an apparatus to boil the 

 blubber on board. The harpoon gun does not seem to be in 

 general use except with some kinds of whales which, owing to 

 the rapidity of their movements through the water, can only 

 be fastened successfully with this uncertain weapon ; but 

 rockets and bomb lances, which are practically shells ignited 

 by a time fuse either by the flash of the gun or concussion, are 

 employed with great success. When a fish is fastened, one of 

 these rockets fired into the right spot will soon kill it, and 

 as they can be fired at a distance, a great part of the danger of 

 whaling is obviated, viz. running the boat up close enough to 

 put in a hand lance. 



The average length of the whaleboats now in use is from 

 28 feet to 29 feet, with a beam of from 6 ft. 2 in. to 6 ft. 5 in., 

 and they are provided with a centre-board. They carry 300 

 fathoms of very soft laid Manila line, which, during the process 

 of manufacture, is sprinkled with whale oil as a preservative. 

 The line is coiled down in two tubs, the largest containing 

 225 fathoms and the smallest 75. The big tub stands on the 



