THE WHITEFISH HARPOON. 47 



fifteen feet from the bow, and on the starboard 

 side. 



The harpoons are used either for thrusting or 

 darting, and a skillful harpooner will throw them 

 with sufficient force to secure a walrus at four or 

 five fathoms distance ; when possible, however, they 

 are always thrust or stabbed into the animal, and 

 in that case it is customary to give the weapon a 

 twist or wrench, both for the purpose of withdraw- 

 ing the shafts that it may not be lost or broken, as 

 well as to entangle the barbs more securely in the 

 walrus's skin or blubber. If this precaution is neg- 

 lected, the harpoon may, perhaps, come out by the 

 cut which it made on entering ; this is more likely 

 to happen if the intended victim be lying with his 

 skin slack. 



When there is much likelihood of falling in with 

 white whales (Beluga or Balcena albicans), it is usu- 

 al to carry one harpoon of a different construction, 

 and with fifty fathoms of line attached, for their es- 

 pecial benefit. The reason for requiring a different 

 harpoon for these cetaceans is, that their skin is 

 not, like that of a walrus, the toughest part of their 

 body ; but the skin of Balcena albicans, on the con- 

 trary, is quite tender, gristly, and gelatinous, and 

 the barbed iron, therefore, requires to be driven in 

 until it secures good holding in his flesh beneath 

 the blubber. 



Next in the list of the boat's appurtenances 

 come four or five enormous lances, with shafts as 



