272 HISTOKY AND METHODS OF THE FISHEKIES. 



struck the whale couveys one end of the tow-line to her, and the whale is hauled alongside. In 

 transporting a sperm whale to the vessel a hole is made through the tough covering of the head 

 at or near the spout-hole, through the nib end, or the lower forward corner of the junk. A "short- 

 warp," a piece of whale-line about 5 fathoms long, is rove through the hole, doubled aud knotted. 

 About 200 feet of the line used in the capture is cut oft, rove through the strap, and doubled. In 

 towing the right whale the lips are triced together over the scalp with a warp ; the whale is then 

 rolled over and the warp "parbuckled". The fins are "sewed up" with a rope which is rove through 

 holes made iu the thin parts and lashed under the belly ; a hole is cut through the chin, and the 

 tow-rope rove through. Several boats take their positions in tandem line, the tow ropes are prop- 

 erly adjusted, and the men, with merry boat song, commence the laborious and monotonous task of 

 towing the whale to the vessel. If the ship is to windward of the whale she runs directly for it; 

 if she is too far to leeward and the weather is calm or nearly so, the boat, or boats as the case may 

 be, tow the whale in the direction of the ship. The rate of speed under these circumstances, which 

 varies perhaps from 1 to 3 miles per hour, depends upon the number of boats in tow and the 

 velocity of the wind. The ship in the mean time works toward the whale. As she approaches it, 

 if the wind is strong, sail is shortened, the head-yards are squared in so as to throw the sails upon 

 them aback, and the ship's headway is stopped as much as possible. The whale is hauled along- 

 side and fastened. 



ACCIDENTS. The life of a whaleman is full of danger at all times. Aside from the perils 

 incident to the career of all seafaring men, he is exposed to the dangers incident to his calling. 

 When "cutting-in" in lower latitudes he has the sharks to contend with as well as the sharp- 

 edged cutting spades to avoid. In boiling out, a foaming or bursting pot may envelope the ship 

 iu flames, or iu a heavy gale the immense casks upon the deck may break from their lashings. 

 When down for whales, he is exposed to many perils which neither a landsman nor a sailor in 

 the merchant marine service know of. The captures are attended, in many cases, with the most 

 frightful calamities in the way of loss of life or limbs. Lives are jeopardized by such risks as a 

 "foul line" or perhaps, in some cases, though seldom, the logger-head may be wrenched from its 

 position;* by the premature explosion of lances in gun barrels ; by the heavy recoil of the immense 

 shoulder-guns, which has knocked the men down, or "kicked" them pretty well aft in the boat, 

 and perhaps breaking a collar-bone, or the boat may be broken into many pieces or capsized by 

 the whale. Few accidents, however, now occur from the guns and lances. When the guns were 

 first used they were charged with powder from cans, horns, or flasks, and instead of following 

 the printed instructions furnished by the inventors or manufacturers, the men would often 

 charge the guns too heavily, and in many cases neglected to keep the barrels clean. Under 

 such circumstances, together with the weight and unwieldiness of the weapons, many accidents 

 ensued. At present the improved gnus, aside from being lighter and perfected otherwise, are 

 provided with cartridges, and it is seldom an accident is reported, except in those, extreme cases 

 when such a thing is brought about in an unaccountable or unavoidable manner, or possibly the 

 result of carelessness. The bomb-lances, owing also to their present state of perfection, seldom if 

 ever explode before entering the whale. 



The dangers more to be feared by whalemen when down for whales are such accidents as foul 

 line, stove boat, or lost at sea. A foul line, as it leaps like a thing of life from its coils in the tub, 

 is the most treacherous; smoking hot by a brisk confrication with the wood- work, it travels the 

 full length of the boat, and if it catches the arm or leg of one of the crew, as it sometimes does, 



* This baa occurred, and in one instance very severely injured one of the oarsmen, inflicting a severe wound on his 

 bead. 



