44 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



"Therefore, as hinted above, the youngsters who are perpetually learning new 'kinks' and 

 confounding their progenitors, have stepped into a new order of things. They begin with an 

 exact reversal of the old-time processes, which were to harpoon the whale, and then lance him to 

 death. The Provincetowner first lances his prey, and immediately after harpoons it, for reasons 

 and in pursuance of methods shortly to be giveu. 



''The finbacks come in numbers early in the spring, following the bait which is their food 

 herrings, sand eels, mackerel, and the like, and where this bait is found in reasonable quantities 

 the whales will surely be found. When feeding this whale stretches wide open his jaws, moves 

 forward among the bait on the surface with velocity until he has pocketed or scooped (in his 

 mouth) a quantity (some barrels), when he snaps together his front doors and swallows the catch, 

 having no teeth, nor need of any. It is at this feeding season that he is easiest approached and 

 fastened to. When not feeding he is usually lazily sleeping, or disporting, and, indeed, the gam- 

 bols of this variety of whale seem to form a very necessary part of his existence, to which he pays 

 much attention. The antics of a calf in a pasture, or a young puppy in a back yard, are hardly 

 more diverting or singular than are those of a pair of whales in their festive moments. They will 

 stand on their heads and flourish their tails in the air ; then stand upon their tails and snap their 

 jaws in the air. They whirl and roll and swash about, sometimes tearing the water into shreds, 

 and again darting about, exhausting every possibility of whale enjoyment. They are as full of 

 curiosity as a deer, or as are many of the fish varieties, and this they evidence frequently by play- 

 ing about the boats which have come out to capture them, reconuoitering and viewing these boats 

 from all sides, and sinking a few feet below the surface, following their every motion, while they 

 occasionally appear at the surface for an outside observation. 



"When touched or struck their immediate impulse is to dash off like a rocket, and this 

 impulse they obey to perfection. To test their marvelous facility of speed, a harpoon was thrown 

 into one off the Race (the extremity of Cape Cod), when he started off across the bay in the direc- 

 tion of Boston, and in forty minutes had dragged the boat and its contents of crew and imple- 

 ments within full view of Minot's Ledge light-house. All the line was paid out by the boat's crew 

 and they <vere finally obliged to slip for their lives. 



" A common fishing schooner is now fitted out for this whale-catching business, carrying a 

 whale-boat of the ancient approved construction, with sufficient men to man the boat and leave 

 some one or two on board to follow in the vessel when the boat is actually engaged. The captain 

 usually handles the lance and harpoon, and pulls a spare oar when not thus engaged. Besides 

 himself, four oarsmen and a boat-steerer comprise the crew of the boat of the successful captain 

 alluded to above. 



" The bomb-lance is a most destructive weapon. The gun from which the lance is fired is of 

 very thick metal, and the breech is made heavy with lead to neutralize the recoil, which is heavy 

 with this kind of arm. The length of barrel is about 17 inches. The lance itself is of iron, with a 

 chamber 6 or 7 inches in length along the lower center, and solid between the chamber and 

 point, the latter tapering, and filed or ground to three edges. About the base of the lance are india- 

 rubber wings, folded when the lance is inserted in the gun, and acting as wad to make the lance 

 fit the barrel easily, and just rest upon the powder charge of the gun. When fired these rubber 

 wings expand, and, like the paper feathers of a boy's dart, preserve the poise of the weapon. The 

 chamber of the lance is filled with powder, like a bomb-shell, and a one-second, or thereabout, fuse 

 is attached, so that, when the weapon is discharged into the body of a whale, it explodes within, 

 inflicting terrible wounds. Care must be taken not to discharge the lance at too short range, as in 

 that case it will pass through and through, the whale's carcase without exploding, and entail no 



