THE WHALE FISHERY. 281 



The above illustrations represent the under or "fat" side of the blubber with chain attached, 

 and also the reverse or "blackskin" side. 



The head of the right whale and bowhead may be hoisted by means of the rope-strapped 

 blocks and fid, or by the chain-strapped blocks, the same as shown above for hoisting the blubber. 



A word in regard to some of the implements used in manipulating a dead whale and removing 

 its blubber.* The falls are made of manila hemp, composed of four strands, and measure in circum- 

 ference 5| inches. The lower block is 18 by 12 by 10 inches, the upper blocks 18 by 12 by 6 

 inches and the guy-block 13 by 9 by 6 inches. The guy rope is 4f inches in circumference. The 

 blubber hooks vary in weight from 75 to 150 pounds each 7 depending upon the size of the vessel. 

 The cutting-tackles, when in position for active use, are suspended by pendants lashed to the main- 

 mast-head above the eyes of the rigging. The pendants are large cables (a, Fig. 4), of a size that 

 would be required perhaps to anchor a 300-ton ship. They are usually about 12 feet long ; the 

 variation in length, however, is governed by the size of the vessel. They are connected with the 

 cutting-tackles by means of two immense iron shackles (Fig. 2, a a) 16 inches long 9 inches wide in 

 the clear and from 1 to If inches in diameter. 



The implements with which the incisions are made in the blubber are called cutting-spades. 

 The blades are made of Norway iron, faced with steel, and the poles, are of spruce. The total 

 length varies from 12 to 20 feet. With these apparently awkward implements all of the cutting 

 is done upon the whale. The narrow ones are used to cut through the blubber to the flesh and 

 the wide ones to sever the muscles or pieces of flesh that persist in binding the fat to the body of 

 the whale. The former process is called "scarfing," and the latter "leaning up." The half- 

 round spade is used to mortice holes in the blubber in order that the cutting tackle may be attached, 

 as previously described. 



DUTIES OF CREW. In cutting in a whale the same discipline is enforced on board ship that 

 was observed in the boat when engaged in the capture. Next to making the home passage with 

 a full ship, the disrobing of a whale of its oleaginous covering constitutes one of the most joyous 

 occasions. When a whale is " raised," the exultations of the whalemen cannot be called genuine, 

 for the capture may not be made ; but when the prize is made fast to the ship, the most sanguine 

 anticipations, barring wind and weather, may be realized. A violent storm may part the fluke- 

 chain, or it may become necessary for the safety of the vessel to cast the whale adrift. 



The captain has general supervision of all work, and may sometimes participate actively in 

 cutting the whale. He may prefer, especially when the animal is to be decapitated, to accompany 

 his first officer on the stage, and assisted by him, perform this operation, which is regarded a 

 delicate and important one by whalemen; but he usually goes on deck when the head has been 

 severed from the body and assumes general charge of matters there, leaving the details of the 

 cutting to his first officer. Aside from the general work of cutting, which claims his close atten- 

 tion, he has the ship to care for, more particularly if surrounded by ice in the Arctic fishery. 



* IndfX to illustrations of cutting falls. 



Fig. 1. Lower block strapped with rope (a a a) and blubber hook (g) shackled into the grornmet (d). The rope 

 beckets(ccc) are used for convenience in handling the block, and the back lashing (h) by the officer in, directing the 

 point of the hook into a hole in the blubber. 



Fig. 2. Upper blocks (b b), guy block (c), pendant shackles (a a), and links! 



Fig. 3. Lower block (6) strapped with chain (<2) and sister hooks (e) into which the tail may be coupled by means 

 of the link (2). 



Fig. 4. Perspective view of the cntting-tackle, showing the position it assumes when suspended from the mast- 

 head. It should be guyed out by means of the guy-block and rope (c), and the end of the cutting-falls (e) should 

 lead to the windlass. 



Fig. 5. An implement called the small blubber hook used to manipulate blubber on the vessel. 



