WHALING 271 



within a few feet of the whale before it can be thrown with any 

 certainty of success ; otherwise the manner of capture is similar 

 to that already described. 



Station whaling, which is very similar to that practised by 

 the American ships, is carried on both in Baffin bay and Hud- 

 son bay. The stations are either permanent establishments on 

 land, or are small ships that remain constantly in the country, 

 and serve only as a convenient dwelling for the small number of 

 whites with each. 



At the present time land stations are operated at Kekerten 

 and Blacklead, in Cumberland gulf and at Cape Haven, all on 

 the east side of Davis strait. At the mouth of Ponds inlet in 

 Baffin bay a small ketch is stationed ; in Repulse bay a similar 

 vessel is used as a whaling station. With the exception of Cape 

 Haven these are owned in Scotland, the Cape Haven station 

 belonging to a firm in Boston, U.S. 



Only one or two white men are employed at each, and the 

 whaling is altogether in the hands of the natives. 



None of these stations are making great profits, and some of 

 them are being maintained at a loss. They are of great assis- 

 tance to the natives, and it is to be hoped that nothing will be 

 done to discourage the owners, who according to present returns 

 should be helped rather than hindered in their work. 



The natives have for years looked for assistance to the 

 whalers both on Baffin island and Hudson bay. They have quite 

 given up the use of their primitive weapons, and there is no 

 doubt that a withdrawal of the whalers would lead to great 

 hardship and many deaths among these people if the Govern- 

 ment did not in some manner take their place and supply the 

 Eskimos with the necessary guns and ammunition. 



The influence of the whalers upon the natives does not appear 

 to have been as bad as in the western part of the Arctics. The 

 excessive use of alcohol has never been practised, and has now 



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