THE ARCTIC SEAS. 155 



much exhausted. The men now thrust into his body 

 long and slender steel lances, and aiming at the vitals 

 these wounds soon prove fatal: blood mixed with 

 water is discharged from the blow-holes, and pre- 

 sently streams of blood alone are ejected, which 

 frequently drench the boats and men, and colour 

 the sea far around. Sometimes the last agony of the 

 victim is marked by convulsive motions with the tail, 

 attended with imminent danger; but at other times, 

 it yields its life quietly, turning gently over on its 

 side. The flags are now struck, three hearty cheers 

 resound, and the unwieldy prey is towed in triumph 

 to the ship. 



So huge a mass, of course, is slowly moved 

 through the water, but there are few operations 

 that are more -joyously performed; it is like the 

 harvest-home of the farmer. When arrived, it is 

 secured alongside the ship, and somewhat stretched 

 by tackles at the head and tail, and the process of 

 flensing commences. The men having shoes armed 

 with long iron spikes to maintain their footing, get 

 down on the huge and slippery carcass, and with 

 very long knives and sharp spades make parallel cuts 

 through the blubber, from the head to the tail. iV 

 band of fat, however, is left around the neck, called 

 the kent, to which hooks and ropes are attached for 

 the purpose of shifting round the carcass. The long 

 parallel strips are divided across into portions weigh- 

 ing about half a ton each, and being separated from 

 the flesh beneath, are hoisted on board, chopped into 

 pieces, and put into casks. When the whalebone 

 is exposed, it is detached by spades, &c, made for the 



