56 



MAMMALIA CETACEA DIAGKAM 3 



out from the mast-head ; and when they see a whale blowing, 

 the ship is steered towards it, and boats are lowered. In front 

 of each boat is a man with a harpoon, which is a dart at the end 

 of a thick shaft of wood and iron, attached to a very strong but 

 very slender cord, rolled on a large winch in the boat. As soon 

 as all is ready, the harpoon is thrown, and plunged into the 

 flesh of the whale, which takes to flight as soon as it feels the 



wound ; the cord 

 runs out with great 

 rapidity, and the 

 rowers pull with all 

 their strength in 

 the same direction. 



Whale fishing. It sometimes hap- 



pens that the whale, thus attached to the boat, drags it to a great 

 distance. However, it returns to the surface to breathe, and a 

 second harpoon is thrown at it ; and as soon as a good 

 opportunity occurs, they approach near enough to thrust long 

 lances into its body. The enormous animal is quickly exhausted, 

 and when it is dead, it is towed towards the ship. Its fat or 

 Uubler makes it float. Great slices of blubber are then cut off 

 along the whole back, which are melted, and from which the oil 

 is extracted. 



