TRE ARCTIC SEAS. 141 



tliat on the appearance of a Whale being announced 

 from aloft, one or more boats can be despatched in 

 less than a minute. Each boat carries a liarpooner, 

 whose station is in the bow, a steersman, and several 

 rowers. In an open space in the bow of the boat 

 is placed a line sometimes more than 4000 feet in 

 length, coiled up with beautiful regularity and scru- 

 pulous care. The end of this is fastened to the 

 harpoon, a most important weapon, made of the 

 toughest iron, somewhat in the form of an anchor, 

 but brought to an edge and point. Instead of steel 

 being employed, as is commonly supposed, the very 

 softest iron is chosen for this important implement, 

 so that it may be scraped to an edge with a knife. A 

 long staff is afl&xed to the harpoon, by which it is 

 wielded. The boat is swiftly, but silently, rowed up 

 to the imconscious A^^lale, and when within a few 

 yards, the liarpooner darts his weapon into its body. 

 Smarting and surprised, the animal darts away into 

 the depth of the ocean, but carries the harpoon 

 sticking fast by the barbs, while the coiled line 

 runs out with amazing velocity. A sheeve or pulley 

 is provided, over which it passes ; but if by accident 

 it slips out of its place, the friction is so great that 

 the bow of the boat is speedily enveloped in smoke, 

 and instances are not unfrequent of the gunwale 

 bursting into a flame, or even of the head of the 

 boat being actually sawn off by the line. To prevent 

 this, a bucket of water is always kept at hand, to 

 allay the friction. Accidents even still more tragic 

 sometimes occur from entanglements of tlie line. 

 "A sailor belonging to the John of Greenock, in 



