ATTACK ON THE WHALE. 155 



whale-ships were wrecked or crushed by the ice, and the 

 sufferings of the crews were fearful. 



The ships employed in the Northern fishery are con- 

 structed expressly for that object, and strengthened so as 

 to encounter exposure in the ice regions. They are gener- 

 ally of from three to four hundred tons, each having a crew 

 of about fifty men — experienced, hardy sailors — accustomed 

 to the dangers of these particular expeditions. Six or seven 

 light swift boats are requisite for each vessel; and another 

 requirement is what is called a " crow's-nest," a kind of 

 watch-tower, placed on the main-topmast to shelter the man 

 on duty, whose ofiice it is to keep a steady look-out with a 

 telescope, for the spout of a whale in the distance, or the 

 approach of drifting ice. 



On reaching the Polar seas, the real hard work com- 

 mences, the men being on watch night and day, and the 

 boats kept ready for instant use whenever a whale is seen. 

 On receiving an indication to that effect from the man in the 

 "crow's-nest," a boat is launched, having a harpooner, a man 

 to steer, one to look after the ropes, together with three or 

 four rowers, and provided with an immense quantity of rope 

 ready for use. The boat is steered rapidly and silently 

 towards the whale, and on arriving within a few yards of it, 

 the harpooner hurls liis weapon so that it may enter under 

 one of the monster's fins — a vulnerable part. The harpoon, 

 in its most simple form, is a spear of about five feet in 

 length, with a much flattened point, having sharp cutting 

 edges, and two large flattened barbs. These are attached 

 to a long line at the opposite end of the barbed joint. The 

 gun-harpoon is a short bar of iron with the barbed spear at 

 the end, and a ring with a chain for the attachment of the 

 line. This is fired from a small swivel cannon attached to 

 the whaler's boat ; but the difficulty in whale fishing is to 

 secure the capture of the animal, who sinks to a great depth 

 on being struck, alternately rising to breathe, and sinking, 



