EARLY HISTORY OF WHALING 117 



creature commeth oftentimes above water, spouting 

 eight or nine times before he goeth downe againe, 

 whereby he may be descried two or three leagues 

 off." 



This gives the whalemen their opportunity. 

 When the whale is observed blowing, the shallops 

 are sent out after him. It is unnecessary to quote 

 Edge's description in full, since as Purchas says 

 " You may see this story of the whale killing 

 presented lively in the Map, which Captain Edge 

 hath liberally added to this relation." After the 

 whale has been harpooned by the harping-iron he 

 is lanced, and " in lancing him they strike neere the 

 finnes he swimmeth withall, and as .lowe under 

 water neere his bellie as conveniently they can; 

 but when he is lanced he friskes and strikes with his 

 tayle so forcibly, that many times when he hitteth 

 a shallop hee splitteth her in pieces." 



" The whale having received his deadly wound, 

 then he spouteth bloud (whereas formerly he cast 

 forth water) and his strength beginneth to fayle 

 him." The whale is next towed to the ship, across 

 the stern of which it is laid. The blubber is next 

 cut off, " then to race it from the flesh, there is a 

 crane or capstan placed purposely upon the poope 

 of the ship, from whence there descendeth a rope 

 with a hooke in it ; this hooke is made to take hold 

 on a piece of blubber; and as the men wind the 

 capsten, so the cutter with his long knife looseth the 

 fat from the flesh, even as if the lard of a swine 

 were to be cut off from the leane." The blubber is 



