WHALING 



537 



bottom Whale (Sibbaldius sulfurus), the Fin-back (Balanoptera 

 ve lifer a}. 



The Sperm Whale is an extremely awkward fish to approach, 

 for at times she uses her mouth (the lower jaw of which is 

 armed with a formidable row of teeth), flukes and tail with 

 terrible effect. There is an instance of a fish destroying three 

 boats and injuring the ship herself, and the ship Essex was 

 actually sunk by a Sperm deliberately charging her twice. A 

 most interesting account of this catastrophe will be found in 

 the ' Century Magazine' for August 1890. 



The best way to approach this fish is head on, under sail 

 if possible, as, owing to the position of her eyes, she cannot 

 see well ahead. The other alternative recommended is to 

 approach the whale from behind on the starboard side, so as 

 to give a right-handed dart. The boat, ranging alongside, pro- 

 ceeds parallel to the fish about one to two fathoms, or possibly 

 three or four from her, until far enough forward, when the 

 harpoon is thrown into the back. 



The Right Whale is provided with powerful flukes, from 

 twelve to fifteen and sometimes twenty feet in length, and five 

 to six feet deep, and the fish occasionally uses them with dis- 

 astrous effect on her pursuers. The most approved mode of 

 fastening this species appears to be to sail right over the centre 

 of the fish and dart the harpoon as the boat strikes her. These 

 whales have the power of settling like a lump of lead when an 

 offensive object comes in contact with them, so that the boat 

 passes over in safety. The Californian Grey Whales are not 

 large, but are reported to be the most dangerous species of the 

 whale tribe to take. Harpoon guns, rockets, or bomb guns are 

 said to be a necessity in their capture. 



The same method of capture appears to apply to the 

 Sulphur-bottom and Fin-back, though in shoal water it 

 seems that the bomb gun is frequently fired first, and if there 



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