270 CRUISE OF THE NEPTUNE 



This is the routine, and it is only varied by the capture of a 

 whale. As will be seen from the above description, the boats 

 cruise nearly all the time in the in-shore waters, and the greater 

 number of whales are taken within the three-mile limit, and not 

 on the high seas as is the rule in Baffin bay. If the whale is 

 killed within reasonable distance of the ship, it is either towed 

 alongside by the boats,, or the ship comes for it, and an endea- 

 vour is made to get the body into a safe harbour in order to save 

 the blubber. A number of whales are killed in inconvenient 

 places, and only the bone is then taken, ail the blubber going to 

 waste. When the blubber is taken, it is immediately cut up and 

 ' tried out ' into oil on board the ship, a large boiler being 

 carried for that purpose. The hold of the schooner is filled with 

 large casks, made in different sizes to fit the shape of the hold. 

 On the outward voyage these are partly filled with the provi- 

 sions; returning, they carry the oil and furs collected on the 

 voyage. 



During the long winter a part of the natives remain at the 

 ship, and are employed hunting seals, walrus, and deer to help 

 feed the women and children and the crew of the ship. The 

 remainder are sent away after musk-ox, and remain away 

 several months, having to go a long distance before reaching 

 the country where those animals are found. A successful party 

 will return with at least twenty musk-ox skins, and these add 

 to the profits of the voyage. Stranger Eskimos also visit the 

 ship to trade, and in this manner a considerable number of 

 musk-ox, fox, wolf, bear and wolverine skins are added. 



Unlike the Scotch whalers, where the captain remains on 

 board ship to direct the movements of the boats from the barrel, 

 the American captain goes in charge of one of the boats. This 

 works Avell in open water, but when the whale is among loose 

 ice very little can be seen from the boats. 



The Americans make use of a hand harpoon, and as it is very 

 heavy and has a gun attached to it, the boat must approach 



