Harpoons, Lances, Guns, and Boats 223 



of them "kick" with amazing power whenever 

 fired. It is, therefore, customary to use a lan- 

 yard to secure every gun to the boat in such a 

 way that if the gunner should be kicked over- 

 board, the gun can be recovered ! 



Bomb lances, in late years, have been made 

 from 17 to 19 inches long, and from a pound and 

 a quarter to two pounds in weight. The burst- 

 ing charge is about two ounces of powder. In 

 using these bomb guns the whale is first struck 

 with a harpoon thrown by hand, the boat is drawn 

 up within range as soon as possible within 

 from 30 feet to 30 yards and then a lance is 

 fired into the animal. 



The darting gun is the latest style of bomb- 

 throwing weapons. It was invented by Captain 

 Eben Pierce and Patrick Cunningham, of New 

 Bedford. A gun barrel is attached, with its 

 muzzle end down, to a harpoon. The gun barrel 

 is provided with a trigger in the shape of a rod of 

 metal that projects beyond the muzzle. Having 

 loaded the gun, the combination of harpoon and 

 gun barrel is thrown at the whale. The harpoon 

 sinks into the whale and holds the boat to the 



